Of Big Shots and Bohemians
by Sadie Lovegood
Summary: 10 Year Later, 2 Breakfast Clubbers are making they're own ways in the same city. One is a successful physical therapist and one is a struggling artist. When they reunite, they're pitted against culture clashes, evil fiancees, and paying the damn rent!
1. Prologue 1: Black and White

"**Of Big Shots and Bohemians"**

_**Author's Note: **I'm trying my hand at a longer epic fic, between 20-30 chapters. Please review me lots and lots. Not as unique a storyline as "Anneliese," but I need a dose of reality (desperately). This is an Andy/Allison and no other TBC characters will be in this one, all OCs (but GOOD OCs, I swear!). SO review (nicely!) and enjoy!_

_**General Summary: **It's 1994, and the members of The Breakfast Club have gone their separate ways, but by a stroke of fate, two end up settling down in NYC, one is a well-to-do physical therapist, the other an impoverished bohemian artist struggling just to pay the rent. What will happen when these two extremely different worlds collide again? _

_**Rating: **PG-14, for sexuality, cursing, thematic elements and lots of angst.

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_

His stride was rhythmic and bold as he walked briskly in the crisp morning air of mid-March. The day was overcast, yet no rain was expected as it had all passed last night. The city smelled of smog, piss, and exhaust, yet he'd been in the city for coming on 5 years now, he was used to the rancid air of New York City. He wore a black sport jacket and a casual tie and pants. He didn't carry a briefcase, more of a messenger bag. He wasn't a businessman, although he did have his own physical therapy practice. His manner was alert, but somewhat bored. Life was static. Nothing popped out at him. It was just another usual day in a usual world full of usual people. He had ten patients today, then he'd go back to his nice apartment on the Upper East Side and watch some TV, maybe order some take-out, and go to bed. Routine. Ugh, he needed an unusual twist to his life. The lacking of spontaneity in his life had turned his life 180 degrees around since leaving his wild college days. He was the 90's version of a yuppie. A perfectionist workaholic.

He finally reached his destination: 457 West 57th Street. A medical building with white stone walls and carved angels of mercy below some of the windows. Inside was a psychologist's office, a few separate pediatrician's offices, and in the basement was a workout center/physical therapy office where Andy ran things. A small clock above the door read five-to-eight. He was 10 minutes late as it was. His first appointment was in five minutes!

The casual physical therapist ran inside and down the steps to the basement. His secretary, Kitty, hollered, "You're late, Dr. Clark!" she warned.

"I didn't know that, thanks Kitty!" Dr. Clark rolled his eyes. He was only 27, he was in year 2 of his practice and in many ways, still a child. He ran to his private little office and quickly changed into a sweat suit. He had his pants on and his shirt off when he heard the door open from behind him. He didn't bother to look. He wasn't naked or anything. He just wanted to make sure he was ready for when his first patient, a man recovering from a hip-replacement, walked in the door. His practice was on of the most efficient ones in Manhattan.

Two soft, lily-white hands suddenly covered his eyes. He gasped by knew in another instant who it was.

"Guess who?" The light, wispy voice came from behind. Dr. Clark smiled.

"Vanessa! You were asleep when I left!" he said as he turned around to face his fiancée. Vanessa worked as a model for various women's magazines in the area. She was a blonde with straight long hair about shoulder length. She figure was delicate—she was a natural size 2. Her lips were thin as pencil marks, but so red it popped out against her white skin. Her eyes were gray and intense. Today, she wore a small long-sleeved t-shirt with a pink hue and slim flared jeans. Her silver stilettos (believe it or not, her CASUAL ones!) shone like Cinderella's glass slippers from underneath her hemmed pants. She was a gorgeous blonde beauty, another piece of Dr. Andrew Clark's cookie-cutter plain black-and-white world. Yet he loved her.

"I don't have a shoot until 10, so I figured I could stop in on my way uptown and see you! I miss you all the time, you workaholic you!" Vanessa was a good 5 inches above her fiancée, so when she leaned in to kiss him, she leaned down. Andy was never a tall man. He only reached about 5 foot 6.

"What's on the agenda this weekend, baby?" he asked. Andy and Vanessa had yet to set a wedding date (he'd only proposed on Christmas last winter), but they were always talking about prenuptial matters.

"Marietta and I are picking out bridesmaids dresses on Saturday with the girls, and Sunday we need to pick a place. I'm not religious, so I was thinking maybe Atlantic City on a beach at sunset? The sun will look so pretty at sunset, sparkling over the water as it goes down!"

Andy shook his head to himself. Vanessa was beautiful, but she wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box. In Atlantic City, the sun set opposite the beach. He was obviously the more intelligent of the two, but he didn't flaunt it. He let Vanessa say what she pleased.

"We'll have this weekend to figure it out. Are you free tonight?" asked Andy. Fridays he liked to let loose for a little while, maybe go to a club and enjoy some night life before he become a husband and potentially a father.

"Andy, I'm sorry, but Marietta, Louise, Jeanne and I are planning a girl's night out tonight, do you mind?" Truth be told, Vanessa had nothing planned. She just didn't like those loud, annoying night clubs Andy dragged her to every Friday night. Andy nodded.

"Alright. It's been a heavy week. Some alone time won't hurt me," he replied.

"Thanks, baby doll!" Vanessa leaned down and kissed Andy again. Andy's watch beeped 8 AM.

"I'm expecting a patient soon," said Andy.

"SO quick to be rid of me, eh? Well, you're not getting off so easy!" Vanessa and Andy kissed one more time before Vanessa shuffled out the door and out of the building.

Andy sighed. She was nothing like his taste of girls in high school. Andy sat down at his desk to wait for Kitty to tell him his patient had arrived. He looked around, reached into his desk, and pulled out a small Polaroid instant photo taken nine years and ten months prior. Andy as a high school student sat on the hood of his dad's car in his driveway in a night scene back in his old town of Shermer, Illinois. A girl dressed in deep black, her hair dangling over her eyes sat beside him, her hand on his stomach as her head was nested in the crook of his arm. She smiled vaguely at the camera and had her foot entwined with Andy's. Andy smiled woefully. It'd been nearly ten years since Andy went off to college and left her alone. He'd vowed to keep in touch, but he began getting so busy at college, and then he met Vanessa and all. By the end of freshman year at Ohio State, she'd all but died in his mind. The picture made her seem less attractive over the years. He'd forgotten her touch and her unique mix of art and humor. He'd moved on, and hopefully, so had she.

After all, all good things must come to an end, right?


	2. Prologue 2: Stranded in SoHo

_**Chapter Summary: **The other half of the prologue, where we meet the other half of our story and are introduced to her life…_

_**A/N: **Where are my lovely reviewers? (FYI, Anneliese is not over, I'm writing this because Kristen suggested i write my way through writers block like she does).

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_

It was nearly 10AM when the girl in Andy's picture rolled out of her own bed and onto the floor of her SoHo loft apartment. The floor, despite being coated with puke-colored shag carpeting, seemed cold and hard. The girl had also changed physically from the picture Andy kept in his desk. She was slightly taller (still on the short side, however), a bit frailer, and her hair was longer. She was also paler (from the lack of vitamin-enriched food). She wore a black wifebeater over a pair of purple flannel pajama pants. She looked up at her alarm clock. _Damn thing didn't go off again! _

Oh well, it's not like she had anywhere to be. Besides, the clock was still on. That means the electricity wasn't shut off yet. Good. Another day with light. Especially when it was so cloudy. She got up on her feet and hurled her afghan onto the small bed she slept on. After taking a piss, she wandered into the living room/kitchenette area. The loft was small, and expensive, but she didn't have a car to get out of the City in, let alone money for airfare. She was basically stranded in SoHo. After not hearing from her boyfriend in Shermer for over a year, she just packed her bags and hitchhiked her way to NYC. She had a meager job as a once-a-week art teacher at a Rec Center out in the Bronx, but that didn't pay a lot. Luckily for her, she had two roommates who had somewhat better jobs and were more than willing to help financially.

The girl she lived with was Helene Dupont. Helene was a rebellious Belgian schoolgirl who came to the City as a foreign exchange student in high school and ended up never going home, gaining a green card and eventually, citizenship. Helene's accent still had traces of French, but she was as good as a native English speaker. Helene wrote poetry and songs when she wasn't working at a record store two blocks over. Physically, she was average. Not too tall, she had jet black hair and ash skin. Her hair was cropped short and she had dyed the tips a light purple. She was a curvy girl with wide hips and short legs. She lived in her lime green Chuck Taylor's.

The boy living with her was Aaron Baranowski. Aaron was gay, but not a flamboyant, happy-go-lucky man. Aaron always wore purple turtlenecks; his light brown hair was cut oddly, like Andy Warhol's. Aaron had a heart of gold, but he was very vulnerable. His parents abandoned him at his Aunt Midge's house. His Aunt Midge forced her nephew into child slavery until his friend caught him and had him sent to a foster home. He was very untrusting of everyone expect his two roommates. He loved the two of them like sisters. Aaron also had a boyfriend, Gregg, but Gregg was killed as a result of a hate crime three years ago. Since, Aaron kept himself cooped up in the loft except for a few occasions when he would go for a walk in Central Park, in which case he'd be out for 12 hours at a time. Aaron was an author, and he had a book published called "The Bohemian Way: A Guide To Finding Your Inner Artist." While the book flopped at the national level, in the City many hundreds of copies were sold every day, and the local profits never stopped coming. That was Aaron's contribution to the trio.

When she arrived into the living room, both roommates were already on the old, ratty sectional sofa. The TV wasn't on. They just sat; they're heads looking at the carpeting. Helene looked up and saw her walk in. Helene stood up and tossed a piece of paper at her.

"Look at this, Allison!" said Helene. Allison skimmed the paper and growled. Why now?

"An eviction notice…" she muttered.

"Aaron's latest check got lost in the mail! They want the rent in 3 weeks or else we're getting kicked out!" said Helene. Allison scowled. A lot of people in SoHo seemed to be losing their homes ever since the landlords started getting maliciously greedy. She noted how it always seemed to be artists and poverty-stricken people getting evicted. Now they were going to be next if they didn't act quickly.

"Can you get more hours at the record store?" asked Aaron. Allison began pacing the floor with the eviction notice in her grips. The paper slowly crumbled under her hands.

"No, they already had to lay off Max and Roddy! I'm just lucky I managed to hang on to my job!"

"What about you, Allison? Can you find more hours at the Rec Center?" asked Aaron.

"They only offer one class, and no one seems to be interested," Allison replied. She only taught 7 people how to draw still-lives of fruit baskets. Meanwhile, Allison had several pieces of paintings and sketches she had ready to sell when worst came to worst. But she didn't know who the hell would want them. "I could sell a drawing or two," she offered.

"I'm going to the damn post office, see where the hell my money went to," said Aaron. He began huffing, but then he calmed down a small bit. Allison continued pacing, reading and re-reading the eviction letter.

"I'm sure there's some way out of this," said Helene. "Christ, heat was expensive this winter, we can barely afford to feed ourselves! What're we gonna do if we get kicked out? Move to Jersey? Three weeks to pay the fucking rent! We should just pack our bags now, folks!"

"Helene, apartments are much cheaper in Connecticut, we could get something there across the river and we'd still be able to go to our jobs in the City," suggested Aaron, rubbing a Yin-Yang pendent he wore around his neck.

"No good. We'd need a car, the buses don't go that far out. We can't even afford a junk bucket that'd hold three of us!" said Helene. Allison suddenly gasped as she saw a loophole in the eviction notice.

"Guys! We have to sign for the notice!" said Allison excitedly.

"So? We're doomed, it doesn't matter who has the worst signature!" said Aaron. Allison shook her head and pulled a lighter out of her pocket (for candles, not drugs).

"We never saw this eviction notice! It…blew away in the wind!" she declared, as she flicked on the lighter. A small orange flame grazed the edge of the paper, then suddenly grew as the paper was consumed. The two roommates smiled, then grinned, as Allison let go of the burning paper and it floated to the carpet. Allison then stepped on the flaming carpet before it grew. Only a small pile of crumb and carbon lay on the carpet now.

"Three weeks from now, we can say we never saw it. That'll buy us more time because then they'd have to give us three more weeks!" said Allison, proud of her idea. Aaron jumped up and swung Allison off her feet in a sudden burst of jubilance.

"Way to go, Mouse!" he hollered happily. "Mouse" was Allison's nickname because she was so petite. Helene laughed.

"You're a genius!" she said. Allison smiled.

"I knew that!" she said sarcastically. The three bohemians celebrated with a round of the cognac Aaron stashed in the cupboard for rare occasions.

* * *

At 3, Allison decided to go find a grocery store and to bring home a pack of soy burgers (all three of them were vegetarians) for a treat for dinner. She sighed and walked out onto the road. Allison may have been dirt poor, but she lived with her two best friends in the world, and had a life full of color and excitement. Every day was a race for survival for her and her roommates. No two days were ever exactly the same. 

It was for the best that her old sport-o boyfriend forgot about her. It was just as well, he probably still lived in Shermer, coaching the basketball team or some meaningless job.

Allison's life could not have been any more satisfying.


	3. A Decade Lost and Found

_**Chapter Summary: **The reunion of the decade!

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_

Andy had a rough day. The entire morning he'd been filling out forms for a man who'd had another heart attack while doing physical therapy with Andy for a prosthetic leg. That afternoon, all his patients were giving him a brutal time. Even a normal day wasn't this bad. At three, he didn't have any more appointments, so he started for home. Back in his casual suit, he couldn't help but stare at the ground as he walked, almost as if her were ashamed of his miserable Friday. Vanessa would be out late tonight, so he didn't see a need to hurry home. Instead, he found himself wandering around for a while. Every so often, he'd look up, and the setting would change a bit. There'd be a man passing by who'd nod at him subtly, or a woman who'd check him out, then generally dismiss him (it didn't offend him at all why should it?). But Andy was worn out to the extreme. It'd take a miracle for him to get rid of his developing headache.

Andy soon found himself in an unfamiliar part of the city. He lived in the well-to-do section of town, with the finely-built stone houses and gorgeous public buildings. In his section of the City, every store was richly advertised and smelled wonderful, be it a food store or clothing store. This new area, however, was nearly the polar opposite. Graffiti lined the rotting walls of every building. It wasn't brightly lit at all, but rather the flashing neon lights beckoning passers by to their corner grocery were the only light available (luckily for Andy, it was still an hour before twilight, so lights weren't needed). The streets were littered with…well…litter. Andy had a feeling he was either in Brooklyn or SoHo. Either way, he'd wandered too far lout of the way. But he ended up just walking deeper into SoHo.

Andy had been in the City for a long time, but he'd really never seen this part of town. Bums were pissing on stoops, young teens were playing music on the street for dollar bills, and people were sitting on park benches just, sketching. This was certainly an artistic, rebellious part of town. Andy chuckled to himself as he thought of the girl from the picture he kept locked in his desk. This would have been the place she'd find happiness in. She didn't fit in when in Shermer. This was the Anti-Shermer.

Andy finally looked up and wondered how he came in, and how he could get home. He was pretty tired. He was so tired, in fact, that if he couldn't find his way home, he'd willingly sleep on a stoop. He wandered a little further. A young man about five years his junior was playing a makeshift drum set. Two or three bystanders (and a sketch artist) stood around him, tossing coins in every now and then. Andy watched for a minute. He was actually pretty good. It was a pity that he had nowhere decent to play.

After a minute or so, Andy quickly whipped his head around and turned a nearby corner, so quickly and sharply he smacked right into someone carrying three or four small paper bags. Both were sent sprawling to the floor, and the bags went scattering across the sidewalk. Andy fell face up, but his victim fell face down. Apparently female, her hair was dark and fell over her face.

"Oh goddamnit!" the female victim yelled. Andy immediately sprung to his feet. The girl, looking about his age physically, moaned for a moment. Andy immediately guessed she was a local bohemian, from her odd dress and hairstyle. The voice triggered an unidentifiable memory in him that boggled him for a second. But, coming to his senses and acting like a gentleman, he offered his hand to the girl, her face still hidden. Instead, she popped up and began growling, scrambling to salvage her groceries.

"Of all the rotten luck! I spent fifty goddamn dollars on this shit because I felt like celebrating, and typical my one night of feasting and some asshole comes along and—"

"—excuse me?" asked Andy, offended. Who exactly WAS this bitch?

"Typical! Absolutely typical!"

"Wait a minute, woman!" said Andy, getting aggravated. "Who do you come off to speak to me this way? God, it was and accident!"

The young woman stopped in her tracks. She faced away from him, clutching a few items. "Eat shit. Everything's fine, leave me alone!" Then she turned to face him.

No way. Andy didn't believe it. He'd know those black-shit-covered eyes anywhere. Meanwhile, she seemed to recognize him as well. She probably made the connection first, because her next words were in awe.

"I'll be god-damned!" she muttered. Andy stared in return. It was.

"Allison? It's me, Andy," he introduced himself. Allison blinked.

"Oh. God. I am SO sorry! I am such a bitch! Andy! Oh man, forgive me!" Allison felt like shit. She couldn't believe who the Fates had put in front of her!

"Here, let me help you!" said Andy, picking up the rest of her groceries.

"The bags are ripped," she said. Andy nodded awkwardly.

"I'll walk back to your place with you if you need help. How far is it?" asked Andy, offering his help.

"Only a few blocks, not far. Thanks, I'd like that." They began walking.

They spoke in unison, "So how've you been?" They laughed at their similar choice of words. Andy smiled. "You first!" he said.

"I'm getting by. You?"

"Doing pretty well for myself!" _She's not wearing a ring, _Andy felt himself thinking.

"Oh, good. Good," said Allison, her eyes scanning his fingers for signs of a ring. None in sight. "I'm living with a few people I met when I came out here," she said.

"When did you come out here?" asked Andy.

"A year after—" Allison paused and lowered her voice. "—after you left."

Andy cringed. "Oh? Well, good for you. Striking out on your own, you know."

"Yeah, I guess I was just tired of waiting for my future to get it's head out of it's ass and give me a fucking call..." Allison's voice began to rise, but she managed to restrain herself.

"Ouch," remarked Andy. "Listen, Allison, about that—"

"STOP!" shouted Allison. Andy jumped back, he'd wandered out into the middle of the street. He nodded in gratitude to Allison. He got a good look at her for the first time in a decade. Her face was heart-shaped, and she looked starved to death! But her eyes were still absolutely gorgeous. Maybe better than Vanessa's in a haunting way.

"So…." Andy said, trying to turn to a happier topic. "What happened to everyone else after I left?"

Allison thought a moment. So long ago! "Brian left a little while after you for medical school. Last I heard of him he was chasing after a degree in radioactive medicine."

"I figured it'd be something big," nodded Andy. "Bender? Claire?"

"They didn't last very long. That Christmas Bender moved out to California on his own without even telling Claire. She was royally pissed. So, until I left, it was just us girls."

Andy nodded again. "You have a job?" he asked trying to keep the small-talk pattern for revealing how awkward her felt, especially after that close confrontation there.

"I teach art once a week in the Bronx. It sucks in pay, but there's no where else to go, really. And you?"

"I'm over in Manhattan, I have my own physical therapy business."

Allison had to blurt out the one question burning her mind. "Seeing anyone?"

"I see you…" Andy had to slap his forehead. That's NOT what she meant! He felt like a teenager again. "No, I mean, yes, I'm…I'm engaged."

Allison's heart sank about a foot into her chest. "Oh." She said, trying desperately to sound indifferent.

Andy blinked quickly. Why did she sound so indifferent? "You?"

"Single and loving it," was Allison's reply. "Oh look, we're here!" Allison and Andy looked up at a huge broken down building.

"THAT is your place?"

"No all of it! Only the loft! Coming up?" asked Allison. Andy nodded and they went inside.


	4. Avoiding The Past

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy finds out more about how Allison lives, and they fight to avoid more confrontation, and a lot of tension ensues. WHERE ARE MY REVIEWS??? I NEED TO KNOW HOW I AM DOING!!! EVERYONE who reads this must review it!! I'm BEGGING you, out of common courtesy for the author, plz??? (PS: thanx Kristen, you're different!) (A/N: Sorry this seems so boring so far, I plan for it to get better, PLEASE don't get turned off!)

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_

Andy was lost in the dark winding stairwell that led to the loft apartments. If it weren't for Allison right in front of him, he truly wouldn't know what was up or down. The air inside the building was crisp and chilly.

"It used to be a political building in the late 1800's, or so I've been told. Then all of the swank action moved uptown and it was deserted. Then during the beatnik movement of the 60's, it was renovated and stuff, and now it's a loft. Not a cheap one, though," informed Allison. "The reason we're even celebrating is because we found a loophole on how to cheat our way out of being evicted."

"Evicted? Really? Why?" was Andy's next question.

"We can't afford to pay rent. We can barely afford to feed ourselves. Aaron's last book check got lost in the mail, Helene's lucky she didn't get laid off, and my paintings won't sell. What's a group of poor people supposed to do?"

"Your roommates?" asked Andy, nearly tripping over a step.

"Yep," said Allison. Andy wondered why the hell there were so many stairs. But a second after he complained in his head, the stairs terminated, and the couple walked down a hall with several apartments lining the walls. Andy noted that nearly all of the doors had evictions notices on the doors. They walked up another brief set of stairs and approached one more door at the end of the hall. Allison twisted a small brass key in the lock and cracked open the door.

Andy was blasted with an incredible wave of a campfire-like smell mixed with floral scent, not to mention a blast of light.

"Oh good," Allison remarked. "Utilities are still on!" Andy was astounded. He'd never had trouble with paying rent or bills.

Allison stepped aside and let Andy go through the door first. When inside, Andy was standing in the living room. A very small kitchen was across the room. Off to the side was a small porch and window, and opposite that was a small hallway that led to two bedrooms and a bathroom. The entire living space was covered in painting by Allison and Aaron, and music sheets from Helene were taped to the wall to be considered. A guitar was leaning in the corner. A paint-encrusted old sectional sofa graced the remaining corner. And a tiny TV (no more than 10 inches) was opposite the couch on a small coffee table.

In the middle of the floor, two young individuals, one of each sex, were doing an elaborate yoga pose on two green mats on the floor. The smell had been coming from a small torch of incense over on the coffee table.

Allison rolled her eyes. "Helene, Aaron, get your 'nads off the floor and come meet my guest!"

Both roommates sprung up and came to them. Aaron seemed to smile at the strapping young man Allison had brought home.

"Andy, this is Helene and Aaron. Guys, this is an old friend of mine from Shermer!"

Wait, had Allison just called him her old FRIEND?! They went way beyond 'friend!'

"Hello!"

"Nice to meet you!"

"Do you work out?"

Andy blushed at Aaron's question. "I used to be a wrestler in high school and college."

"I respect a man who wears tights in public!" he said. Allison smiled. Aaron was already taking to her guest. He seemed happier than he'd been in a long time. She could see Andy getting increasingly uncomfortable.

"I didn't wear tights. I wore the required uniform!" Allison giggled. Now, where had she heard THAT before?

"Which was tights!" finished Allison, only because Brian wasn't there to do it for her.

Only Andy didn't tell her to shut up. He just looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. Allison looked at her feet and blushed.

"So, Andy! Allison's told us a little bit about you! So, you abandoned her to go to college promising—"

"—a phone call on weekends and a visit every semester," Aaron joined in with Helene.

"But after a whole year of nothing," continued Aaron.

"She realized the bastard blew her off and moved out east!" said the duo again in unison. Andy and Allison began sweating.

"Guys, can we EAT?" begged Allison. They HAD to shut up about that! Believe it or not, when she'd first moved in with them, that was the mildest of what she'd had to say about Andy.

Aaron shut up. But Helene, ever the advocate for trustworthy love, had to interrogate more (she also had two cans of beer in her, which didn't help the situation).

"Are you seeing anyone now?" she asked. Andy looked at Allison for help. Allison was fuming red.

"He said he's engaged!" Allison said, speaking up for Andy. Allison wanted to wash her mouth out with soap. She admitted Andy didn't love her anymore. The fact that pained her and gave her a near-ulcer for ten years now had just been verified from her own mouth.

Andy nodded in gratitude. Allison seemed so calm saying that. As if he didn't matter anymore. Well, blowing her off for a model without warning wasn't exactly a nice thing to do. She seemed forgiving, however. It just made Andy feel more guilty.

"Helene, I bet Andy's REALLY hungry…" said Aaron. Helene nodded in defeat and took the bags to the kitchen.

"Oh, I didn't intend on staying for supper, I have to get home," said Andy.

"Come on! Stay! We're having soy burgers and onion rings!" said Allison. Helene squealed. Aaron licked his lips. Andy, ever the meat-eater, decided a change of diet for one night wouldn't hurt.

"May I stay?" asked Andy.

"No," said Allison. "We suggested you were hungry to send you out the door with nothing!" She rolled her eyes. Andy laughed. Some thing hadn't changed.

* * *

Andy eventually decided to stay the night with Allison and her roommates, only because Vanessa was out, and he was too tried to walk home anyways. He'd catch a bus in the morning. 

Aaron asked Andy to stay with him in his room, but Andy immediately said he'd take the couch. Aaron sulked, but it was a playful sulk. Allison notice Aaron wasn't nearly as dark and brooding as he'd been. He was actually happy and outgoing, like he used to be. It was fun watch Aaron flirt and Andy sweat.

Helene and Aaron were asleep by midnight, but Andy and Allison were out on the sofa catching up. They avoided personal matters and kept trying to avoid getting into a brawl. Andy let Allison do a lot of the talking. He just loved watching her lips move again.

Allison talked a lot about her various jobs and experiences. Andy mentioned how he was a successful man with a nice lifestyle. Allison nodded.

"I have a successful life too," she said. Andy involuntarily snickered. "What?" she asked.

"It's not exactly the Ritz here, Allison," he said.

"It doesn't have to be," she retorted. "I finally have people who like me for who I am. I belong in this loft in this artsy section of town! I'm happy. That's all that matters!"

"You told me you can't pay your rent!" said Andy.

"So?"

"I can lend you a few bucks for this month if you want," he offered nobly. Allison raised an eyebrow, she was good at that.

"I don't need your charity," she said blankly. "You have your head up your ass!" she said.

"Excuse me?"

"You think money should be the thing making me happy!"

"Being secure, being safe, THAT should make you happy!"

"Well, maybe I LIKE not being safe!"

Andy thought a minute. It wasn't really his place to get involved.

"I'm sorry. This really isn't my problem," Andy said, making a peace offering.

Allison wanted to say that it wasn't a problem at all, but instead she nodded and said, "You're right."

Looking at the clock, Andy turned back to Allison and said, "I'm really tired."

"Go get some sleep," Allison agreed. "Sleep tight," she said. Andy put his feet up on the couch and nodded.

"You too," he said. He'd drifted off to sleep before Allison even had a chance to turn off the lights.


	5. Welcome to Snob Hill

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy takes Allison back to his apartment.

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_

The next morning, Andy got up literally at the crack of dawn to sneak out before any of the others awoke. He and Allison had been snapping at each other and it was best to pretend yesterday didn't happen. He quickly slipped on his shoes and grabbed his bag and headed for the door. He opened it to find Allison standing in the doorway with a small drugstore bag in her arm. She still wore her pajamas, yet she'd been out to the store. She smiled evilly. Andy noticed she had a small tattoo on her arm, but he couldn't tell what it was right away.

"Busted. You're not getting away that easily!" she said, grinning. Andy sighed. He realized how much he missed that grin.

"Sorry. Things last night were…um…"

"Hostile? Yeah, I guess we didn't hit it off very well. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you home," Allison moaned walking in the door. Andy put his bag down and sat back on the sofa with Allison.

"No, Ally! It's been ten goddamn years, you can't think we haven't changed at all. Of course things are different now," reasoned Andy. Allison took her small bag and unloaded it slowly. Andy's eyes widened curiously as Allison unloaded 4 bags of M&Ms, 4 Snicker Bars, 2 bags of Raisinettes, and a bottle of cheap tequila (Andy had seen a liquor store next to the drugstore with the logo on Allison's bag). Andy raised his eyebrows at Allison.

"Helene and I have lived together so long, we're in sync, and it happens to be that glorious time of the month!" Allison giggled when Andy blushed and looked down at his feet.

"Aaron must go through hell every 28 days then, right?" he asked nervously. Allison nodded confidently.

"Oh hell yeah! Even for a gay guy he suffers a LOT!" she said. Andy laughed.

"Listen, Ally, I feel bad about yesterday, so do you wanna come over to my apartment for the day?"

"You got food?"

"Yeah."

"I'm in."

Andy smiled. Allison licked her lips and opened a Snicker bar. "May I have a piece?" he asked politely enough. Allison shot him the internationally feared PMS Look of Death, and he withdrew. Allison smiled and nodded as if to say "Wise choice, buster," and consumed the candy bar quickly. She stuffed the rest in a cupboard and told Andy to wait while she showered and dressed. Allison disappeared into the bathroom. Andy looked around the apartment. One small table near the door to the porch had a half dozen or so photos on it. Andy took a look. Each was carelessly framed, but dated and documented well. Andy examined each photo.

Two were of Allison and Helene in Central park imitating the animals (elephants and lionesses in this case) like goofballs. Both were labeled: _July 15, 1987. _Andy snickered. July 15th, from what he could remember, was Allison's birthday. No, or was it June 15th? Andy forgot which. One had Allison with both Helene and Aaron sitting on a bench. It was a winter setting and they all wore black coats and were showing cross-eyes to the camera. _January 27, 1989. _One had Aaron, Helene, and Allison shown painting makeup on a brazen statue on the NYU campus. _November 1, 1985. _One had Helene and Aaron smoking cigarettes and wearing curly blonde wigs, dressed as whores. _October 31, 1986. _Andy stopped at the last picture, by far in the worst condition. He shook his head in disbelief.

It was the exact same photo Andy hid away in his desk. Andy recalled that Claire (the photographer) had taken two photos of them in the same pose and given one to each of them. After all these years, she'd kept it just like he had. No date was on this photo, and it looked like at one point it had been crumbled. Andy felt horrible. He'd literally skunk bagged Allison. He'd left her for college, promising to keep her in his heart. Once he'd met Vanessa, Allison was gone from his mind, and Andy cast her off like so many people had before. He'd betrayed her trust in him. Yet she kept his picture, and now was being hospitable towards him.

He was so going to hell.

"You ready?" Allison asked. Andy turned around. Allison (still with wet hair) was wearing a loose Def Lepperd tank top and baggy jeans. Andy squinted in on the tattoo again.

"It that real?" asked Andy.

"Oh this?" Allison asked, pointing to the tattoo. "Yeah. I got it a year after being here."

"What IS it?" he asked. It looked like a bunch of scribbles.

"It's an Ohm!"

"Ohm?"

"Symbol of the Hindu faith. I wanted to get a pentacle, but Helene was still Catholic at the time and I didn't want to piss her off." Andy nodded. Didn't people get AIDS from tattoo needles? Andy asked is Allison was aware.

"Yeah. I went to a place in Queens where they use clean disposable needles." Andy nodded. Allison was a smart cookie.

"Good choice, Ally." Allison nodded.

"Well?"

"Well?"

"Well…I can't go to your place without you showing me where it is!" said Allison.

Andy nodded. "Alrighty then!" he said. The duo left the apartment and began heading uptown.

* * *

"Talk about snob hill!" said Allison as she and Andy reached the apartment building he lived. It was a huge white building with fancy décor all over. A red carpet led from the main revolving door out to the curb. A doorman in uniform even guarded the door. "Jesus Christ, how do you pay YOUR rent?" 

Andy chuckled. "I get by. It helps when you have your own business, I guess."

"Do you really live here, or are we just staying at this hotel for the night?" asked Allison.

"I'm on the 31st floor, two floors below the penthouse. The view is great!" Andy said. "Come on!" They went inside. Allison felt too dirty to be inside. She could see herself in the shiny marble floors. There was a grand staircase leading up to the first residence floor and several elevators. Andy liked how Allison couldn't help but stare.

A woman passed by who looked to be about her mid-fifties. She wore a decently-priced dress and carried a Chihuahua in her arms. Andy knew her as his crabby neighbor Josephina. The dog was Bone-aparte. She stopped and surveyed Allison. Then she tsked at Andy.

"What WILL Vanessa say when she finds out you're hiring prostitutes from Brooklyn?" she sighed woefully at Andy. Allison fumed. The NERVE of this bitch!

"Actually, I'm an exterminator from Queens, and Andy called me on account of your obvious rat infestation!" Allison said, indicating the dog. Andy snorted trying to hold back a laugh. "I have the rat guillotine outside in the van—"

"—Oh for heaven's sake!" and with that Josephina shut up and moved outside.

Andy looked at Allison. "You are DEFINITLEY the Allison I remember!"

"The one and only!" Andy pressed an elevator 'UP' button, and no sooner done than the door opened to reveal a beautifully-mirrored elevator. Andy and Allison stepped inside, and after pressing another button, the elevator whisked the pair up to floor 31. Andy guided Allison down the hallway to apartment 31C. He took out a key and led Allison inside.

Once inside, Allison thought she'd stepped into a parallel universe. The carpeting was beige and so soft one could fall asleep on it. The room wasn't huge, but it was at least twice the size of Allison's living room/kitchenette. Oh, that's another thing. This place had a full-sized kitchen, complete with microwave and oven. She didn't even WANT to see how elegant the bedrooms were. She felt poor enough already.

Andy noticed how Allison seemed intimidated, so he told her to sit down a minute while he got her something for lunch (she hadn't eaten breakfast either, if you didn't count the candy bar). Allison sat on the comfy sofa and wanted to drift off to sleep. But instead, she was intrigued by the neat row of pictures on the coffee table. One had Andy in a blue graduation robe clutching a diploma, in his mother's grip. Another had Andy holding a small golden retriever puppy and smiling. The last few had Andy doing various activities with a tall, anorexic-looking blonde with no body fat and Anna Nicole Smith's makeup style. _That must be HER, _Allison thought. _That must be the anti-Christ he's holding in his arms! _

"Excuse me, Miss?" Allison whipped around to see the satanic image come to life before her eyes. "You must have the wrong room. Tony the Pimp's apartment is 21C!" God, why did everyone up here think she's a WHORE?

"I'm an acquaintance of Andy's," said Allison, who didn't want to make waves with this chick as much as she had with the old crabby woman downstairs.

"Oh! Then, well, hello!" The woman's voice suddenly turned so sugary-sweet that Allison could have sworn she felt a cavity forming. The lady offered her hand out to Allison, who shook it halfheartedly. "I'm Vanessa Leigh Rose Lenoir! It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss—"

"—Allison Portia Reynolds," informed Allison. She wasn't aware of why the hell they used middle names uptown.

"I'm Andy's fiancée!"

"Have you set a date yet?" asked Allison casually (meanwhile, she imagined Vanessa's head impaled upon a stake).

"Not as of late, but we're very much in love!" said Vanessa.

"So it would seem…"said Allison, wanting very much to set her on fire.

"Do you live in Manhattan?"

"Down in SoHo."

Vanessa seemed uncomfortable. Allison wondered why…

_This girl is pretty, although she hangs her hair in front of her face. Def Lepperd, hmm? Andy once said he liked that band. She's got some meat on her bones, but not a lot, that's a plus for me. She's probably a pauper or a beggar, as befits a girl from SoHo. How the hell does she know Andy? Is she an ex-girlfriend of his? Does he still like her? Why is she here at all and how come I've never heard of her before? _was all that Vanessa Lenoir was thinking as of right now.

"So, are you asking for some money?" asked Vanessa, her voice gone again.

"Huh? No, why would I?" asked Allison.

"So you can go out and buy a decent sweater! Honestly, this tank top shows off your man-shoulders! Do you want to be mistaken for a slut?" Vanessa began circling Allison, who turned right around with her.

"Well, god forbid someone ever dip into your G-string's trust fund!" spat Allison. Vanessa stepped back, infuriated.

"I see we have a bohemian mouth on us. Do you paint naked men screwing other men and sell it for peanut money?" asked Vanessa.

"I paint whatever my muse tells me to paint!" said Allison plainly.

"Muse? What is that? Like a pimp?" Vanessa tried to comeback. Allison wondered if "pimp" was the only way Vanessa knew how to insult other girls. Allison smiled and put on her crazy eyes.

"No, a muse is a tiny demon that sits on my shoulder and whispers sweet somethings in my ear." Allison grinned. Vanessa's pale little forehead was beginning to sweat…

"You're Satanic?" Vanessa asked nervously. "Why, what were you thinking?"

"I don't think for myself because His Royal Highness Beelzebub thinks for me! As a Bohemian artist, I am bound to His Highness' service until the end of eternity! Satan commands us to do his bidding, and we obey! That's my muse!" Allison was having quite a bit of fun with this. Vanessa's 20-dollar antiperspirant was failing her miserably.

"Get OUT!" she shouted. "You WHORE! You WITCH! Stop bewitching my fiancé and get out of my HOUSE!" Vanessa screamed.

From in the kitchen, Andy was almost finished making sandwiches when he heard Vanessa's scream. What the hell was going on? Andy rushed out into the living room to find Vanessa crossing herself and muttering a Hail Mary as Allison slammed the front door behind her on her way out.

"Vanessa? What the hell did you do?"

"What I did? She's a child of Satan!! She said so herself!" yelled Vanessa. Andy rolled his eyes.

"For Christ's sake, she's an artist!" Andy ran out the door and into the elevator. Why wasn't Allison in with him? There only was one elevator! That means she took the steps. Andy would wait for her…the steps would take a long time.

Upon reaching the lobby, Andy waited at the base of the stairwell for Allison. 10…20…40…an hour went by. It wouldn't take an hour to go down the stairs. Maybe he'd missed Allison and she got out before he could?

"Damn," he muttered. He needed to apologize to Allison. But for now, he had to go back upstairs and calm his girlfriend down before she had another asthma attack. Andy trudged guiltily back into the elevator and went upstairs.

Meanwhile, Allison sighed and climbed down the final set of stairs under which she was waiting for Andy to leave. Furious, she made her way out the door and caught a bus back to her home in SoHo.


	6. Storm Clouds Gather

_**Chapter Summary: **Allison has a lot of feelings about the past 24 hours…and Andy doesn't help the situation.

* * *

_

Aaron came home from the post office feeling pissed off. His check was lost in the mail, perhaps stolen, and he'd have to wait until next month's check. At least Allison's little stint with the eviction notice bough him time. Helene would still be out at her job, where had Allison been all day?

Aaron found his way into the girls' bedroom. Allison sat on her bed furiously painting at a canvas hanging on a large easel. She was going berserk with the red paint, not only with sponges and brushes, but with her bare hands and finger nails she clawed at the paint as she grunted. She stabbed the canvas with a brush slathered in red and yellow paint and ran it down the canvas. She was having another fit.

"Mouse? Are you okay?" Aaron asked warily. Allison turned around to face him. Her face was covered in orange paint. Her scowl lightened up barely when she saw Aaron standing there. "What's the matter?"

"That son of a bitch!" Allison yelled. Aaron nodded.

"Mr. Hottie…I mean, Andy?" asked Aaron. Allison broke down into tears and began crying.

"His fiancée is such a bitch! How could he be in love with her? She accused me of being a whore several times! Andy's changed so much, and not for the better! He's such an asshole! Do you KNOW how hard it is not to punch someone's face in because they thoughtlessly abandoned you a decade ago?"

Aaron shook his head and sat down on her Allison's bed with her. "Mouse, I can honestly say that I haven't felt that way ever."

"What does she have that I don't? Andy must see something in her that I don't have. Otherwise, we might be married by now!"

"Mouse, baby! If you married that guy, you'd never have met me or Helene! Maybe it's a blessing in disguise!" Aaron got up and opened a window. The paint fumes were starting to get him dizzy.

"Maybe so, Aaron. But still, Andy's changed so much! That Vanessa chick kicked me out of the apartment because I fooled around with her a bit," Allison said. Aaron nodded knowingly.

"'I am a witch' or 'I am a nymphomaniac'?" he asked.

"I am a Satanist," answered Allison.

"Clever choice," he said. "Do you still love him?" asked Aaron. Allison frowned.

"No. No, I don't. I've moved on. He REALLY has moved on!" Allison buried her face in her hands. "I don't. I can't love him. How can I? He's not who he used to be!"

Aaron smiled briefly. "What did he use to be like?"

Allison laughed for a second. "He was sweet. He cared more about the inside of a person than the outside. He was really protective and gentle. He would've stepped in front of as moving train for me. But then he abandoned me. Now he's a money-hungry jackass who chooses breasts over brains! Oh well, it's over. I ran out on him this afternoon and don't expect for him to come crawling back to me anytime soon."

Aaron nodded and stood up. "I'm sorry for prying," he apologized.

"No big deal."

Helene appeared in the doorway, still wearing her record store vest. "Allison, Andy's here," she informed.

"Oh fuck it!" said Allison, standing up and kicking the wall. "Throw him out, Helene!" Aaron grabbed Allison's shoulders.

"No wait! Calm down, Mouse, take another stab at the canvas if you want…" he offered. Allison grabbed a paintbrush and swung it at the canvas hard. The brush not only splattered the canvas but also the walls. Thank god for the tarp she'd pinned to the wall. "Mouse, doll. It's going to be okay."

"Stand by in case I need to kick his ass and need backup, alright?" asked Allison. Aaron snickered. Helene nodded.

Allison walked into the living room. Andy was there, looking good as ever. Allison stood her ground. Son of a bitch…that no-good son of a bitch…

"Have you been painting?" asked Andy. Allison was covered in red paint.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be fucking your Barbie doll?" asked Allison. Andy double blinked. Here it goes…

"Oh come on! That's not fair Allison, you sound like a teenager! We're adults! Vanessa happens to be very sensitive!"

"Yeah," snorted Allison. "Sensitive enough to call me a prostitute!"

"What's wrong with her? Vanessa is a beautiful woman!" said Andy in protest. Allison grimaced.

"The shell of an M&M may be colorful, but that doesn't mean the chocolate inside isn't rotting," she said. That quote was Aaron's, a result of a night of hitting the bottle too hard. "You are so goddamn shallow!"

"Shallow? Me? Oh come on! You're so quick to judge, Allison!" Andy yelled. Allison shook her head.

"I don't know you anymore, Andrew Clark! What happened to you? Did your first big paycheck blind the big heart that you had in high school? Did your girlfriend take your sensibility and cram it in her DD bra? Did your open mind shut its doors when you opened your office doors the first time? In high school—"

"—In high school? That was ten years ago! We're not 18 anymore!"

"Why did you forget about me?" Allison asked. Andy went silent. "The day you left for college, you promised me you'd call weekly and visit whenever you got the chance! I didn't get a word from you for ten fucking years! How do you think I felt? For a long time I'd thought you'd been killed on the plane to Ohio! But I gave up. I wasn't about to wait! Am I'm sure as hell glad I didn't wait! Vanessa can fucking keep you, because I swear to god if I ever have to look at your disgustingly shallow face one more time, I'll shoot myself!" Allison huffed.

"Oh, that REAL mature, Allison!" said Andy. "You don't know Vanessa, you don't know what I've been through to get where I am the past ten years, so get off my case!"

"Get your head out of your ass, Andy! You make it sound like graduating from college and owning a business sound like torture! Yeah, look at where I live. I worked my ass off for THIS, and you think it was a goddamn walk in the park just because the place is falling apart and I can't afford to even live with a decent roof over my head! Well there are more important things in life than money!"

"Aw, you're breaking my heart!" said Andy. "WAKE UP! It's the 90's! You sound like you're fucking Cinderella!"

Allison had enough of this. She grabbed a lamp from the coffee table and hurled it at Andy. Andy ducked and the lamp shattered against the opposite wall. Andy looked at Allison in horror. Allison hollered, **_"FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!"_** Andy could have sworn he saw some of John Bender's old fire in her eyes. Andy, infuriated, quickly scrambled out the door. Allison's eyes welled up as she felt a heated pain rush to her head. She sank to the floor and cried. Aaron and Helene ran to her aid. Allison sobbed uncontrollably. Aaron lifted her in his arms and took her to bed where he lied her down and pulled a quilt over her body.

Allison felt her throat getting scratchy and painful. She felt almost like she had the flu. Allison felt asleep around 7 PM and didn't wake up until 10 AM the next day.


	7. How To Tolerate a Jerk

_**Chapter Summary: **Oh come on, like you didn't know they were going to make up after that squall!

* * *

_

The next morning at work, Andy found a lull in his appointment schedule. He didn't even know exactly why he was there. He'd seen only on person that morning, and the rest of his day he was watching sports reports on his portable TV and sipping a can of beer. After last night's hell fest with Allison, he really wasn't in the mood to be there. Last night at home, Vanessa didn't say a word about Allison other than "I'm surprised she hasn't been arrested yet!" and "I'll bet she's a prostitute, she just doesn't want to admit it." Andy refused to listen. Instead he drowned himself in paperwork all night.

Andy had locked his office door so neither Kitty nor Vanessa could get in. He just wanted to be alone.

"Ugh! Damn Sabers lost again! Fuck Buffalo!" Andy yelled, furiously turning off the TV. Suddenly there was a pounding on the door.

"Dr. Clark! There's a call from Vanessa for you! Want me to send it over to your line?" Kitty yelled from the other side.

"Take an early lunch, and no, Kitty," replied Andy.

"But it's 9:50!"

"Just go!" demanded Andy. Kitty left. Andy sank down in his chair, put his feet on his desk and looked up at the ceiling. Allison was wrong. Today's world was a material world. Without money, there was no life. Comparing his life to hers was like comparing Buckingham Palace to a shack. Allison was immature and stupid if she thought man couldn't live by bread alone.

Andy unlocked his drawer and took out the picture of him and Allison as teenagers. Good times in '84. Back then, money didn't mean shit. It was all about love and each other. Allison lived in the past. She was in denial.

Andy thought for a minute. Shit. He was so soft. Allison was right. Not about Vanessa, but he was being a Scrooge in thinking you couldn't be happy without financial security. He looked at the photo again, picked up the phone and took out the phone book…

* * *

The phone ringing at 10AM was what woke Allison up. Her throat was dry. She couldn't pick up the phone without sounding like Deep Throat. 

"Helene? Can you get it?" asked Allison. She tumbled onto the floor and made her way to the kitchen. Helene was at the table with a left over soy burger in her hand. Helene groaned and got up to answer the phone, muttering French curse words as she went to the phone. Allison found a leftover bowl of Mizo soup in the fridge and went to warm it up. That should help.

"Allison? It's Dr. McAsshole on the phone!" said Helene, holding the phone out. Allison shook her head.

"Tell him to go fuck himself!" said Allison. Helene nodded with a devious smile. "ONLY tell him to go fuck himself, Helene! No jokes about his mother!"

Helene frowned. "If you put it that way…" Helene spoke into the phone: "She's right here!" Allison shot a murderous look as Helene handed over the phone.

"You're going to die for this!" she warned, then put her mouth to the receiver. "I'm surprised you called. I thought you'd be nice enough to remember that I can't afford to talk to you!"

Andy from his desk rolled his eyes. "Allison, about last night—"

"—are you apologizing?" Allison asked.

"No, of course not, but I wanted to call and tell you I know how you feel." Allison's jaw dropped.

"Oh, so now you pity me?" Allison yelled.

Andy smacked his forehead. "Oh no, that's not what I—"

"—You are such a jerk!" and with that, Allison hung up the phone. Now…about that Mizo soup…

Meanwhile, Andy threw the phone across the room. He'd meant to apologize! Why did he say he wasn't going to? It was his goddamn ego. He needed to apologize and humble himself before Allison in person. He was such an ego machine! Andy got up and closed the office for the rest of the day. He needed some time to think by himself.

* * *

Allison, not having a second thought about the phone call, slipped on a peasant skirt (found in a vintage 60's shop) and a Grateful Dead t-shirt. Not exactly an elegant ensemble, but it would do. Allison planned to unwind by painting in Central Park all afternoon. She grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around her neck several times. She took a pad of disposable paint palettes, a collapsible easel, a few tubes of paint and five brushes, and stuffed them into her duffel bag. Allison caught a bus out to the park and found a seat on a park bench. Unfolding her easel and setting a canvas up, Allison looked for a subject. 

Looking around, Allison found a tree with a few buds beginning to appear. Underneath, a little girl in a pink dress read from a child's bible. Now, Allison was an abstract artist, so she elected to give the girl's dress the appearance of bark and the tree trunk a pink cloth-like texture. Allison set to work. She was uninterrupted for an hour and a half. Life was good when her muse whispered into her ear.

Coincidentally, Andy had made his way to Central Park to burn off the steam from this morning. Walking slowly down the path, he slowly observed couples and families taking Sunday walks and having picnics. Andy couldn't help but think that soon, he and Vanessa might be parents. What kind of dad would he be? How many tykes would he even want? Two? Three? Not too many, coming from a family of 5 himself. Andy hated being the oldest of 5, the only boy at that. He always had to be the example of perfection. His poor little sisters Amelia, Amanda, Annabelle, and Aileen could never keep up to their brother. That's why they all rebelled. Andy was always jealous of them. He never had the guts to do what they'd done so easily. Amelia and Amanda disowned their parents and moved away and still shared a flat in San Diego. Annabelle ran away to Canada, found her friend's uncle to live with, and got dual citizenship. Aileen still lived at home (she was still only 15), but she hung out with the emo crowd instead of the preferred prep club set. Andy was proud of his little sisters for standing up and wrote them constantly. But because of so much turmoil in the family, Andy knew he didn't want to have more than two or three kids. But what if Vanessa wanted a lot of children? Probably not, childbirth would ruin her figure and therefore her modeling career. That was a shame. Andy DID want at least one baby.

Andy sighed and wished he could stop thinking about his future. He just wanted to forget the future, forget his fight with Allison, and soak up this nice warm Sunday in the—

Of course, life was screwing him over again. There was Allison, 20 feet in front of him. She was sitting on a park bench painting. She wore a purple skirt with an odd shape to it (his mom wore those kinds of skirts in old pictures he had of her from the late 1960's), a black t-shirt and a frumpy scarf hanging loosely around her neck. Her hair was in her face as she studiously worked on whatever she painted. A little girl underneath a tree suddenly got up and walked at Allison, who stopped painting. Apparently the little girl in pink was her subject.

"Are you painting me, lady?" asked the girl.

Allison smiled. "Yes I am!"

"Are you done yet?" she asked. Allison nodded.

"With your part I am, wanna see?" The girl nodded eagerly. Andy smiled.

"Wow! I look pretty! Thanks, lady! Am I gonna be in a museum?" she asked.

"I wish!" said Allison. Andy chuckled as the girl ran to meet her mother.

"The lady painted me, mommy!" she shouted happily. The mom smiled and waved at Allison, who waved back, then went back to work. Andy observed, Allison had a way with kids. He snuck up behind her and looked over her shoulder as she worked on the detail of the tree. The girl's pink dress was a bark-colored dress, and the pink was now on the tree. A clever idea, and she really did well with it.

"You really captured her," he said. Allison froze. Oh god, what was HE doing here?

"It's rude to look over someone's shoulder," she said coldly. Andy frowned and sat beside her on the bench.

"You've got a lot of talent, you know," he said.  
"What the hell do you want?" she snapped, turning to Andy.

"I'm complementing your painting, is that a crime?" asked Andy, his voice rising. Allison looked at her canvas.

"The depth is kinda off," she said. "I guess I'm having a bad day," she said quietly.

"You don't notice it, really," Andy added.

"Is that all?" Allison asked, turning back to Andy.

Andy sighed. "Ally…I'm sorry. I acted like—"

"—a jerk."

"Exactly. I feel like such a—"

"—an asshole?"

"Hey, give me a chance to apologize for myself okay? Look, I'm not used to living at the basic level you do. It's kind of a culture shock; I guess you could put it as. You know what I mean?"

"Your fiancée would probably shrivel up and die if she stepped into my neighborhood. You know she called me a whore and I did kind of get carried away. I felt like I had to defend myself!" said Allison. Andy nodded.

"I apologize for her too. I'm sorry. I am pretty shallow. You're right," Andy said. Allison shook her head.

"No! No, you were just not used to having a maverick in your apartment. I understand. We're in different worlds now," Allison said.

"Can we still be friends?" asked Andy. Allison cringed. Then she shook her head.

"No. I'll tolerate you, but I don't think we're at the 'friend' level yet," said Allison.

"You'll tolerate me?" Andy confirmed. Allison smiled and nodded. Andy smiled in return. _God, she's got nice teeth, _Andy thought.

_His eyes have a nice sparkle, _thought Allison.

"I'll tolerate you if you'll tolerate me," Allison bargained.

Andy nodded and laughed. "I'll tolerate you!" he promised. Allison sighed. How would she get her painting home if it was still wet?

"Help me out in getting this home?" she asked. Andy didn't reply, he just grabbed Allison's duffel bag and helped her pack up. Allison carried the artwork, while Andy carried the bag.

Allison wondered how hard it was to tolerate a jerk.


	8. How To Tolerate a Bitch

_**Chapter Summary: **An Allison vs. Vanessa showdown…I can tell Kristen has been waiting for this one…(wink)

* * *

_

Allison made sure she didn't make the mistake of inviting Andy up to her apartment again, so she said goodbye to him on the front stoop to her building. It did feel nice being on good terms with Andy again. Once inside, Allison decided to take a nap. She was tired from all the fighting she'd been doing. But before she could lie down for more than 5 minutes, Helene woke her up.

"Allison, I need to head to the theater district to pick up some new sheet music, can you come with? You know how the alleys on Broadway can be this close to sunset," said Helene. Allison grunted and sat up.

"Fine!" and thus the duo headed uptown. Allison didn't like the theater part of town. It was full of wannabes and people who thought acting was the only way to live. Drama queens scared Allison. Those saps wouldn't last a minute in SoHo, although they wanted to play someone from SoHo. She never understood the acting world.

Allison and Helene wandered around for a while. "So Helene, where did you say this sheet music place was?" asked Allison.

"45th and Broadway," replied Helene. Great, another 20 blocks. All Allison wanted to do was crawl into bed. After such a big day, all she needed to do was sleep. She almost wanted to cancel her teaching job for the day in the Bronx, but she did need the paycheck.

But her mood was suddenly changed when she spotted the newest bane of her existence walking out of a pawn shop. Allison snickered and held Helene back.

"That's Queenie over there, the one I told you about who's engaged to Andy!" she said with almost a delighted look on her face.

"Want me to stab her?" asked Helene, pulling out a switchblade she kept on her for 'security' reasons (Allison sometimes wondered if Helene was related to the mob boss of some Belgian mafia somewhere around here). Allison held her back.

"This woman is so easy to manipulate, Helene. But…" Allison frowned. "I don't feel like picking fights tonight. I'm too tired," she said. Helene frowned and put the knife away.

"You never let me have any fun!" Helene pouted playfully.

"I'll make a voodoo doll of her and you can smack the shit out of it, okay, you sadist?" Allison laughed. Helene's destiny was to be a serial killer!

Helene rolled her eyes and snorted. Then both girls laughed out loud and began to move past Vanessa. But unlike Allison, Vanessa was all about making waves tonight.

"Oh god, the demon!" she squeaked from the steps of the pawn shop. Allison and Helene stopped in there tracks. Great.

"Helene, no knife, okay?" warned Allison. Helene nodded as they turned to face their enemy.

"Grow up, Vanessa," said Allison.

"This coming from a lawn gnome such as you?" said Vanessa. Allison rolled her eyes. This woman certainly couldn't insult for the love of god.

"Vanessa, listen to me. You're in love with Andy. He's…well, he's in love with you," Allison noticed how her voice softened when she admitted it. "So leave me alone and we won't have a problem."

"Why don't you go home and eat shit?" added Helene.

"Andy thinks I'm a liar, you know. Because of yesterday. He ignored me last night. He thinks I'm high-strung, and he wouldn't make love last night," Vanessa said.

_Great thing to admit on the street, Princess! _thought Allison.

"Oh, are you suggesting I 'bewitched' him? Because you know, Vanessa, there's a little word, I don't know if you know it, called 'sarcasm!' It means—"

"—I KNOW was sarcasm is! But I just need to tell you to keep away from him! He's mine! I don't want any shitheads from under the bridge fucking up my relationship!" said Vanessa.

"I'm hearing obscene words from such a pristine lady!" said Allison (she was to occupied to realize the origin of the phrase).

"Oh come on, it's the Beast talking to Beauty here!" said Vanessa.

"You see me as a threat, don't you?" asked Allison. Vanessa looked at her feet.

_She does, _thought Allison. _I don't believe it! She does! _Allison was almost flattered.

"Because it's extremely pathetic and a little beneath you, don't you think? Miss Strike-a-Pose is afraid of a common maverick stealing her man away?" Allison enjoyed saying that!

Vanessa flustered and embarrassed, walked straight up to Allison and spit on her. After wiping the saliva off her cheek, Allison found an involuntary nerve pinch her, and before she knew it, she'd spun Vanessa around and round-housed her in the jaw. Vanessa fell against the wall as a few spectators saw the punch. Vanessa looked up murderously at Allison.

"Wanna run that by me again?" asked Allison. "Because we can make this a show for the people; they pay they're taxes, I think they need some action for their dollar!" Allison felt like she'd been possessed by John Bender, that'd be something he'd say, not her.

Vanessa immediately tried to grab Allison's throat, but Allison delivered another blow, this time right in the nose. Vanessa was thrown back again. Helene cheered, but Vanessa took hold of her hair and pushed her against the brick wall behind them. Allison shoved Vanessa away.

"Leave my friend out of this. You're grudge is with me, bitch!"

"Allison, please. Look at us! We're fighting in the street like little boys! We're adult women! Let's end this! All you have to do is never see Andy again or come near him, and I'll leave you and your own mud-slinging way of life alone!"

"You wish, princess!" said Allison. Just then, Vanessa managed to get a good shot to Allison's gut. Vanessa's bony fist had gotten her right in her soft spot. Allison doubled over in pain. Helene jumped onto Vanessa's back and pulled her to the ground.

"Argh! You asshole!" Helene yelled. Allison's wind was knocked out of her. She could barely breathe. The owner of the pawn shop came out and helped Allison regain her breath. Vanessa's designer dress was ripped.

"You ruined my Ralph Lauren! I'll kill you for that!" she yelled.

"Bite me!" yelled Allison, kicking Vanessa's stiletto so hard the heel broke. Vanessa again tumbled to the floor. The people who'd gathered around to watch laughed. Vanessa angrily looked around, but Allison and Helene had by then disappeared around a corner, giggling in victory the whole way.

* * *

Andy was smiling blissfully on the couch. He was trying to reflect on the good times he and Allison once had, and in looking for photos he might have forgotten about, he'd found an old video that was shot in the days before Andy left. Brian's dad had a video camera (a huge bulky one by today's standards, they were just coming out then) and Brian wanted to make a Memory video for Andy to take away with him. Why had he never watched it before? 

So far it'd been just shots of random moments the group had together. Claire slapping Bender for trying to get a peek up her skirt. Allison dancing and spiraling around in a down pouring rain. John giving Brian a swirlie because 'he felt like it!' Andy, Allison, and Claire goofing around in Andy's parents' clothes after getting a little drunk (Andy wore his mom's dress, Claire had wrapped a sheet around her head, and Allison wore his dad's business suit). Bender hurling rocks at Vernon's car. Bender spray-painting Vernon's car. Bender rubbing his naked butt on Vernon's car. Bender doing all the same to Vernon's NEW car. Then, the video came to a group of goodbye messages taped by each of the four other members of the Breakfast Club. Andy had to laugh at how dorky they all looked 10 years ago (including himself).

Brian's message was first: _"Okay, um, so, I know it's only been a little while, but you've been an awesome friend, and a great guiding hand. I mean, if it wasn't for you, I would never have gotten to meet Gina Rosenthal, am I right? She's hot, so thanks for setting me up with her. I really hope we get to meet up someday when you're home from college and me too. Good luck at Ohio State!"_

Next was Claire: _"Hey Andy! Life the past few months certainly was a blast, and it wouldn't have been the same without you. Seriously, without you there to defend me against John that first day would've turned out to be absolute hell. My number is 783-4296, I'm taking some time off before college, so give me a ring! I really hope we can all stay in touch with each other. I'll miss you!" _Andy smiled as Claire blew him a kiss.

Bender's started off with his naked ass being wiggled in front of the camera as he whooped and hollered. Andy snorted and blew up in laughter. Brian's voice could be heard from behind the camera: _"John, please!" _Bender then pulled up his pants and turned around, laughing: _"Sorry man, had to do that. Anyways, it's been quite a ride, eh? I snuck some of my best stuff into your carry-on, so if you don't get caught by security on the way out you can live it up whenever you get stressed out. Hope you don't have to wear tights in college! It's been surreal!" _and he gave a little salute good-bye.

The last image was Allison. Andy took a deep breath and paused the tape. This one was going to make him cry a little, he felt. He needed to take a breath, then he played Allison's message: _"Look, Andy, I know you'll call me and stuff, but I just wanted to send you off with an image of me so you don't forget me and what I look like, I mean, god knows how a semester away from each other will change us…" _Andy cringed. He felt like shit. _"…I'll miss you so much. You're such an awesome shoulder to lean on, and without you I would never have made it to the end of senior year! I love you and can't wait until you come home for Christmas. Time will drag without you, I'm sure. Don't worry about me, ok? I love you so much!" _Allison's tender smile was the last image on the tape before it turned to snow. Andy felt a single tear warm his cold cheek. Allison had been so sure he'd come home to her. He was such a prick!

"ANDY!!!!" Vanessa burst into the apartment like a bolt of furious lightning. Her dress was ripped and she had a bloody nose and a black eye. Andy stood up and ran to her side.

"Vanessa? What the hell happened? Were you mugged?" he asked.

"Yeah…by your whore-friend with the tattoo!"

"Allison? I seriously doubt that!" said Andy, sitting Vanessa down and running to get a pack of ice.

"I'm serious, I was walking out of a Chanel boutique, and she just jumped me! I begged her to have mercy on me, but she just yelled and said 'Get away from Andy! I hate you, you skank!'" Vanessa said. Andy shook his head.

"I don't see Allison doing that…" said Andy, seriously doubting what Vanessa said was true.

"Do you see my black eye! My broken nose?"

"It's not broken, just bleeding!" said Andy, putting the ice pack on Vanessa's eye.

"I don't want you near her anymore! She's out to kill me!" with that, Vanessa fainted.

Andy wondered. Did Allison really do this? How could she? How DARE she? Andy decided he would go set things straight in the morning.


	9. I Just Wanna Cry

_**Chapter Summary: **Another Andy/Allison explosion (and a short filler chapter, sorry)…Kristen will hate me for posting this chapter.

* * *

_

Allison smiled as she woke up on Monday to sunshine filling her room. Helene's bed was empty…she must have had a morning shift at the record store. Allison's class wasn't until the afternoon, so she had all morning to lounge about and do absolutely nothing. Her painting from yesterday was sitting on a chair opposite her bed, and was nearly finished (she still needed to add some ruffles onto the dress a bit). It did kind of capture the scene pretty well. Allison always had an eye for art.

Tossing on a pair of acid-washed jeans and a loose black sweatshirt, Allison went to the kitchenette to find some breakfast. She'd kill for a chocolate doughnut, but there weren't any coffee shops until 53rd street, and that was a damn long way to walk for a doughnut, so Allison settled for a bowl of cocoa puffs. She was willing to bet Aaron was still asleep. He was a lazy-ass sometimes. Because they needed every dime they could get, Aaron was trying to write a second book, perhaps a fiction one. Helene ands Allison had laughed at this. Neither of them liked his first book either. Aaron pointed out that people obviously did, as he WAS still getting checks after 4 years of the book's publication.

Allison was about to fall on the couch to watch whatever was on locally, when she heard a knock on the door. Allison went to get it, and Andy was waiting there in the doorway, smiling weakly. Allison's heart leaped. Did Vanessa squeal on her? Or was this just a friendly visit?

"May I come in?" asked Andy. Allison nodded. Andy was shown in. Andy sighed and stuck his hands into his pockets.

"Wouldn't you be at work? It's Monday!" said Allison. Andy shook his head.

"I'm rarely open on Mondays. Thursdays are always busiest for me," said Andy. Allison nodded understandingly.

"I have my class to teach in the Bronx this afternoon."

"What time?"

"Four to seven," said Allison. "It's a crappy job. Only one class a week that isn't even filled. I need a new job before I have to sell my bed to pay for a bowl of soup or something, and NO, I don't need any help!" Andy smiled. Allison had read his mind, he was about to ask if she needed anything. She was good.

"Did you do much last night?" he asked. He had to lead up to it. He wasn't about to ask out front, 'did you beat up my fiancée?'

Allison shook her head. "Helene and I went uptown for a bit to look for some sheet music. She wants to compose a Broadway musical one day, but she needs inspiration to draw off of," said Allison. "She's giving me guitar lessons!" Allison took Helene's guitar off the wall and placed it on her knee.

"Play me something!" asked Andy. Allison smiled. She strummed a few chords that eventually built up to an old song from The Doors. Andy grinned. "That's pretty good."

Allison blushed and looked at her feet. "I've been playing about a year, but Helene's a goddamn genius at this."

"I can only imagine," replied Andy. Allison put the guitar in the corner. "Allison, while you were uptown last night, you didn't happen to see Vanessa around at all, did you?"

BUSTED! Vanessa was such a little snitch! Allison wouldn't lie to Andy. "Yeah, yeah I did…"

Andy could see the fog in her eyes. Vanessa had been right. "I can't believe you did that! Why the hell did you just randomly attack Vanessa like that? I know you didn't hit it off very well…but jumping on her in the middle of the street?"

"Whoa! Hold on there! Who said I jumped her without being provoked? I was trying to ignore her, but she hollered out to me first!" said Allison.

"Again you sound like a child trying to make excuses! Allison, why the hell did you do it?"

"She hit me too! Look!" Allison lifted her shirt. A big bruise was stretched across her stomach where Vanessa had knocked the wind out of her.

"Well who wouldn't hit back after that brutal attack?" said Andy, getting pissed off again.

"How can you say it was a brutal attack? Andy, how can you believe that wench? Honestly! Does that sound like me? Randomly mugging someone whenever I have a whim! God Andy, you have no idea who the hell I am!"

"Do you think I CARE who the hell you are? What I CARE about is the safety of my fiancée! How she got a nose bleed last night! I don't give a shit over motives! You jumped Vanessa!"

"Yeah, I did! And I'll do it ten times more! She spit in my face and asked for it! Andy, I can't believe I ever loved you! You are such an arrogant, self-obsessed, money-hungry dipshit! You're…you're just like your father! All about perfection!" Allison screamed. Andy was silenced. He was being exactly like his father. That wasn't good. Andy regained composure after a moment or two.

"I NEVER want you to come near Vanessa every again, you understand?" Andy hollered.

"I never did understand, Andy. And I never will!" Allison shoved Andy out the door and slammed it in his face. Allison growled and flopped onto the couch. She grabbed the nearby bottle of tequila and drank a huge swig right out of the bottle. It knocked her out quickly.

About 3 hours went by when Helene stormed in the door. Allison woke up with a roaring headache. She had 2 hours before she had to be at class. "Helene? Is that you?"

"Yeah it's me! Goddamnit! I hate the world! I just fucking do!" yelled Helene.

"Join the club!" said Allison. "What happened at work?"

"Randy the boss laid me off," said Helene. "Got my last paycheck today!"

"No kidding?" said Allison, a huge hole in her chest forming. "Now what'll we do for money?"

Allison just wanted to cry. She wanted to call in sick for the art class. Helene sat down beside her, and they drank the entire bottle of tequila, sip after sip, and passed out by dinnertime from the intoxication.


	10. Aaron Knows It All

_**Chapter Summary: **Aaron notices the obvious (at last someone does!) and tries to bring it out in Andy and Allison.

* * *

_

Aaron was honestly sick of all of the drama that'd been happening. He'd woken up to screams in the living room, and found Allison and Andy arguing again. What a surprise. Every time they met they ended up arguing. Aaron rolled his eyes, grabbed a sweater, and wanted to just go for one of his famous 12-hour walks in the park. He came out into the living room and saw Allison passed out on the sofa. The tequila bottle from Friday was in her hand.

"Psh. She never could hold her alcohol well," said Aaron to himself, beginning his venture down to the park.

Aaron rarely went to Central Park. But there was a small park closer to home where everyone there was artsy and open. Local concerts would play (Helene was an opener a few times) there during the summer, and during the winter people would flood the park and use it as an ice rink. Aaron needed a getaway. Allison's cute boyfriend comes back and now everything is crazy. They should just get married, then they'd be happy, or at least fight somewhere other than his apartment. They were so obviously in love. Plain as day! If it were any plainer, their names would've been Romeo and Juliet.

Taking a deep breath, Aaron wandered around the park for awhile. The air was crisp and cool, but the sun was shining. It was days like this that made him miss Gregg a whole lot more. It would've been probably about 9 months to a year by now since the horrible day Gregg's mother called from the hospital to tell Aaron (who would've become their son-in-law eventually) that Gregg had been beaten to death by homophobic thugs. It was a miserable day. For the funeral, Aaron had asked his parents (homophobes as well…imagine how they felt when their son came out!) to come, and for the first time ever, his parents we open-minded about it and came, which meant the world to Aaron. Helene played music she'd been working on and dedicating to Gregg's memory, and Allison had delivered an emotional eulogy. Other than post-office runs and walking for days at a time through the park, Aaron never got out. He just didn't have the light heart he used to have. Gregg had shared the apartment with him and the girls, and it was like one huge happy family. Aaron smiled ever so slightly when he thought that he only had a limited time before he could see his Gregg again…because he had AIDS.

Helene and Allison knew about it, but no one else, not even his parents knew about it. Aaron took AZT so he could prolong his life span, but after Gregg died, he wanted to stop using it. Allison was the one who convinced him to keep on with the AZT. She was such a good person. Aaron couldn't see how Andy could possibly have abandoned that sweet girl after high school. Aaron could've kicked his 'nads for that!

Strolling along, who should appear before his eyes but Andy himself, his head buried in his hands, sitting on a park bench! He had a bag of groceries at his feet, and he looked like he was regretting the fight, he appeared extremely distressed. Aaron felt horrible. He knew Andy and Allison were right for each other. Love was such a beautiful thing, and he felt somewhere in his gut that Andy was to Allison like Aaron was to Gregg. Aaron smiled and knew what he had to do.

"Hey Andy!" Aaron waved to Andy, who looked up and smiled mildly. Aaron sighed and sat next to him. "What a nice day out, eh?" Aaron wondered how long it would take before he got aroused. He laughed at the thought.

"What's so funny?" asked Andy.

"I'm the reason Allison beat up Vanessa!" he blurted out.

"Huh?" asked Andy.

Aaron smiled. Hook. Line. Sinker! "Allison didn't make the decision to smack down your fiancée, we were drinking and doping last night, and I told her to go beat the shit out of Vanessa if she hated him so much!" Andy looked like he wanted to smack himself.

"Are you serious? So…I just blew in Allison's face for no reason at all?" he asked Aaron.

"Go apologize to her, Andy. Go to her," said Aaron.

"No, I can't do that, it's not that simple!" said Andy.

"Why not?" asked Aaron.

"Because…I'm engaged to be married, Aaron. And said fiancée isn't fond of Allison! I'm torn! Besides, I just wronged Allison horribly. I can't go in there and humble myself at her feet. I'm not that kind of man!" Andy protested.

Aaron sighed. "You know, Andy. My boyfriend and I were engaged for a very short time about a year ago…"

"Oh?" asked Andy, only pretending to be interested.

"Yeah. He was killed in a hate crime."

"I'm sorry," said Andy.

"No you're not. People say sorry out of regret. How can you regret a death if you weren't involved?"

"I'm sor—I mean, go on," said Andy with a monotone voice.

"Well, his name was Gregg. He had such a beautiful soul! But, a few days before Passover last year, we had an argument. I was just like you. I never liked admitting I was wrong. I was always the more macho of the two of us (which doesn't say much, now does it?). I stayed my path and refused to give. Gregg didn't either, although now looking back on the past he was in the right. You know what happened? I never forgave him, but three short days later, Gregg was killed. I had so much of myself in him, when he died, I guess part of me did too…"

"What are you saying? Are you saying you think me and Allison?"

"You and Allison what?" asked Aaron. He wanted Andy to say it himself.

"That you think me and Allison still have a flame between us? That you think we still…love each other?" asked Andy. Aaron smiled.

"And I thought you were all brawn! Good job!" said Aaron happily.

"Oh no! I don't love her anymore! I have a commitment to Vanessa!"

"Andrew, Andrew, Andrew! People get engaged and never get married every day!" said Aaron.

"Aaron I really hope you're joking!" said Andy.

"Go to her and apologize, Andy! You know she's lying stupefied and drunk on the sofa right now because she wanted to drink herself to death after you left!" Not completely true, but it was still a good dramatic tweak.

"Oh god! Did she really?" asked Andy, who suddenly shot up. "Aaron, you're right! I feel so bad…I need to go apologize right now!" Andy took off and ran down the street, leaving the bag of groceries behind. Aaron took out a bag of rice from the bag and opened it, playfully tossing rice after Andy as he ran.

* * *

Allison and Helene had lit some soft-smelling incense and were lying on the floor, trying to get rid of their hangovers the next morning. They wanted to spill how miserable their lives were to each others. The lights were out, the curtains closed. Allison and Helene took turns griping about life. 

"I hate money. If money had never been invented, then the world would be a much happier place! Worries would be gone and this planet would live in harmony. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it?" slurred Helene.

Allison puffed out a breath of air that she'd sucked in.

"I mean, seriously, man! Money will be the downfall of humankind!"

"Money took my Andy away from me," said Allison. Helene growled and sat up.

"I'm going outside to have a smoke. I know you hate smoke so stay inside," said Helene, taking a small baggie of pot and walking onto the porch. Allison closed her eyes and willingly lost consciousness.

Suddenly, a light airy kiss on the cheek woke her up. Allison fluttered her eyes. Andy was leaning over her.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"My head is killer!" Allison moaned as Andy slowly brought her to a sitting position and leaned her against the sofa. "Andy? Are you seriously here?"

Andy smiled. "I'm so sorry. Allison. Forgive me, I haven't been treating you right!" Allison felt Andy take her hand and kiss it softly. Allison's heart fluttered. "I don't want you to tolerate me. I want us to be best friends. Screw what Vanessa says!" said Andy.

"You dumped her?" asked Allison.

"Well, no. But I won't let her rule every aspect of my life. You're my best friend. I won't hurt you anymore, I promise!" Andy declared. Allison smiled. He still didn't love her, but she was his best friend.

It was a start.


	11. A Window of Opportunity

_**Chapter Summary: **Things look hopeless for Allison's rent money, but a window of opportunity gives her a shot (YES, i know it really isn't a realistic chapter, so u dont have to bring it up, ok?)…

* * *

_

Three weeks passed quickly, and things were looking fairly tragic as far as paying the rent went. Helene couldn't get her job back, Aaron's check never came in, and Allison's job wasn't cutting it. Andy repeatedly asked if he could be of assistance, and time and time again Allison refused. The burning ruse did work, and when the landlord came around, Allison claimed she never got the notice. He bought it and gave them a month to either pay or move out. The trio had to move quickly.

Meanwhile, Andy and Allison didn't have a squabble since Andy finally humbled before Allison and begged her forgiveness. He would drop by the apartment 4-5 times a week after work, and Allison and Vanessa never met up again. Andy would sometimes stay for dinner, and drinks after (sometimes they'd watch TV or tell funny stories from the past decade). Allison was beginning to teach Andy yoga as well (surprisingly, Mr. Sport-O had trouble finding his balance and couldn't do the most flexible positions!). He got to know Helene and Aaron very well, and they were becoming a quartet again. Meanwhile, Vanessa was wondering why she was seeing less and less of her fiancé each night. Andy would come home beaming with smiles. She'd ask him where he was. His excuse was different every night. Vanessa, not being overly intelligent, never made the connection that it was Allison and her roommates he was seeing. Life was finally going up.

Except for the fact that in a month's time, Allison, Helene, and Aaron would be homeless. During the days while Andy was at work, the bohemians would go out job hunting. Aaron applied everywhere he could put his writing talents to use, Helene played on a street corner and visited some local talent agencies, and Allison stayed at home, furiously painting. Maybe someone would buy a painting for a few hundred. Three paintings sold would get them rent money for a month. It was brutal for Allison. She couldn't whip off paintings like an assembly line! Paintings came from the heart. Allison would look all over the place for inspiration. Little came.

One afternoon, by late April, Allison was on the porch painting the skyline, when Helene burst onto the deck proudly with a man at her side. The man was middle-aged, dressed in a business suit, with bifocal glasses and a receding hairline.

"Oh god, Helene! I TOLD you prostitution does NOT work!" said Allison.

"Oh no, Allison! You'll like this guy!" said Helene. "He's my brother's old teacher from Belgium who emigrated here. He's interested in some of your paintings…"

Allison jumped up excitedly and shook the man's hand. "What's your name?"

The man's accent was thick, but understandable. "My name is Didier Luc Javert III. May I see what you have?" he asked. Allison nodded eagerly and led the man inside. She took him into her bedroom and placed several of her works on the bed. Mr. Javert turned to Helene. "Helene, may I have a cup of tea?"

"Sugar or milk?" she asked.

"Neither, merci, mon chere!" Helene beamed happily and trotted to the kitchenette. Allison didn't get why she was so happy. People came to ogle her paintings many times…no one every bought one. Mr. Javert studied several canvases.

"I have more if you want them!" said Allison, going to the closet she kept her older canvases in. Mr. Javert shook his head. He gazed at the painting Allison had done with the girl under the tree with the bark switched with the pink fabric of her dress. Mr. Javert picked this up and grinned.

"Ah! Oui! C'est formidable!" exclaimed Mr. Javert.

"Pardon?" asked Allison.

"Forgive me, my English is weak, Mademoiselle. This painting is wonderful! I find it glorious!"

"Thank you, sir," said Allison. Of all times to forget her high school French!

"I am rather fond of this, I think I shall buy it!" he declared.

"How much can I get for it?" Allison expected a range of between 100-300 dollars. They weren't exactly Rembrandts.

"How does 5,000 dollars sound?" offered Javert. "I tend to bid low to start, if you want more, I'll offer it to you," he insisted. Was Allison deaf? Did he just offer a MINIMUM bid of 5,000 bucks??? That was…holy cow, rent for a year PLUS food! Allison could buy some new clothes, new art supplies! But she could get MORE too?

"One moment, please. Feel free to look at my others…" Allison sped out to the kitchenette where Helene was brewing Mr. Javert's tea.

"He's offering me a MINIMUM of 5,000 for a SINGLE painting!"

"Mademoiselle!" called Mr. Javert from the bedroom. "I am also interested in the two others on the pillows, how much will you take for them?"

THREE PAINTING AT 5,000 EACH?! 15,000 was a pretty nice load!

Helene shook her head. "Ask for double, and he'll pay it gladly!" she advised. Allison ran back into the bedroom like a little girl running on the playground.

"10,000 a painting, not a cent less!" she asked of Mr. Javert. He smiled.

"I see you are in for some money! Well, these are exquisite pieces, I'll pay it! Merci, Mademoiselle!" Mr. Javert got out his checkbook. Helene brought in Mr. Javert's tea, and as he sipped it, Allison and Helene gave each other a happy thumbs-up. 30 grand!!! THIRTY FUCKING GRAND!!! "Who do I make this out to?" asked Mr. Javert.

"Allison Reynolds!" Allison proclaimed. Mr. Javert nodded and began filling out the check. Allison was about to explode in ecstasy. Mr. Javert finished the check and handed it to Allison, who wanted to make out with it.

"Your pieces will be hanging in about a week's time in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Abstract wing," Mr. Javert informed.

WHOA BABY! WHAT KIND OF SICK JOKE WAS THIS? "Did, he just say my work will hang in the MMA?" Allison asked Helene. This was surreal. Helene nodded.

"He's a collector for them! That's why he moved here! He taught art!" Helene said. "You're in a museum, Ally!"

Allison fainted.

* * *

"So you're saying 30,000 dollars and she's going to be in an abstract wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art?" Allison blinked awake. She was lying on the sofa with Andy looking down at her, holding an ice pack to her forehead. Helene and Aaron stood over them. 

Helene nodded. "Thank god I found him while at the agency this morning!" Helene said.

"I, wha—?" Allison muttered. Andy smiled and looked up at Helene and Aaron.

"She's awake!" he said. "Allison, you okay?"

Allison nodded. "Andy? Yeah, I'm…in a museum!" She declared. Andy nodded happily.

"I heard! No one deserves it more than you! Thirty thousand dollars! Guess you won't have a problem with rent now!" he said.

"You, you seem happier than I do!" said Allison to Andy. Andy chuckled.

"Way to go, Mouse!" said Aaron. Helene put her hand on Aaron's arm.

"Let's leave them alone for awhile," Helene said, winking at Aaron. Aaron nodded and they left. Andy smiled down at Allison. He liked the way her hair spread out on the pillow and how when she smiled her nostrils flared. Her eyes (while a little red) were glowing with excitement. Suddenly Aaron's words about Andy still being in love with Allison echoed in his memory. Allison was strikingly pretty, but Vanessa WAS a model, after all. Andy knew Aaron was ridiculous.

"Andy, Mr. Javert said I was opening next weekend. I'd be honored if you'd accompany me," asked Allison. Andy smiled. If he were 17, then he'd think she was asking him on a date. But they were a little past that stage of life. Andy nodded.

" Next Saturday?" he asked. Allison nodded.

"Please?" she asked. Having Andy at her opening would mean the best damn thing in the world to her.

Andy nodded. "I'd love to go with you!" he said. Allison grinned.

"Thirty grand! Jesus!" Allison exclaimed. Andy nodded. For a long time they just stared at each other. Andy didn't even really notice his hand was holding Allison's.

But Allison sure noticed.


	12. The Blind Man Can See: Part I

_**Chapter Summary: **Allison and Andy go to her museum opening. _

_**In Memory Of: **This chapter is dedicated to Kristen, who's temporary leave of absense will most likely drive me up a tree, so this chapter is also deciated to the memory of my sanity. Enjoy._

_**WARNING: Some moderate mature-ness within this chapter. Don't read if you're immature!

* * *

**_

The following Saturday morning, Allison got up at the crack of dawn for the first time in nearly 6 years. Andy wouldn't be there to pick her up until noon, so she had six hours to kill, and for once, she wasn't in the mood for sleep. She wasn't the least bit hungry either, so instead she decided to take a bath. Aaron and Helene were still fast asleep, so Allison closed the door and lit a stick of incense. Then she began filling the tub (hot water, now that they could afford it) and pouring bubbles into it. As Allison undressed waiting for the tub to fill, she looked at herself in the mirror completely naked. She hadn't done this since high school and Andy started going out with her. Ten years sure changed her. In high school she had curves along her body. Her thighs were plumper, and her flesh had a red undertone that gave color to her body. Now, she was fairly bonier. Life as a starving artist had literally eaten away at her. While she wasn't as scrawny as Vanessa, she definitely lost a few pounds since high school. Her pink undertones had given way to a creamy white all-over color. She looked not nearly as healthy as she did before. She needed to eat something rich one in awhile. Andy would be the one to tell her that, probably. He always seemed to like a girl with meat on her bones. That's what baffled Allison about Andy's infatuation with Vanessa, who could be walking down the sidewalk and fall through the air vents at any given moment. Allison ran a hand over her left breast. Her figure was diminishing. Allison used to love eating, especially strange foods that grossed people out. But after Andy cast her aside, she didn't seem to have such a love for food anymore. She wasn't a vegan until Andy left, and then steak just looked disgusting. Andy's abandoning her had changed Allison in so many ways. But she also noticed that in the month Andy was back in her life, she had been getting out and eating a bit more. Allison smiled. She could save her dissipating body yet! The boy was back in town!

Allison turned off the faucet and looked at the clock on the wall. It was only 6:15. Allison sighed and stepped into the hot foaming tub and let the hot water caress her body in every way it could. Allison moaned in pleasure. She'd only had lukewarm showers before now. Allison fell asleep lying in the tub, visions of her past with Andy lying in her head. The day Andy left Allison was a really hard one. If Allison knew how long the separation was destined to be, it would have been deadly…

* * *

_I guess this day had to come sooner or later. I mean, a full-ride to Ohio State is a kick-ass opportunity, and I've never been more proud of my Andy. But I really hoped the world would end yesterday. Whatever happens to the dead soul is bound to be less tormenting than what is about to happen to my living one. Where IS Andy? He said he'd drive by on his way to the airport! I'm getting worried that he won't stop by. God, I hate Shermer. I need to get out of here! I want to seriously go with Andy, maybe get a job and an apartment with him, let him go to classes, and get all jumpy and excited when I hear him unlocking the door! But now that my dad's ran out on my mom, I just can't abandon her and my two brothers! I guess I have no choice. _

_Oh god, here he comes…_

_"Hey Allison!" Andy's saying from out the window of his car. He sounds horrible. He looks like he's been up all night. I feel like crying!_

_"Hey," is all I can reply before I begin squeaking and tearing up like I used to. Andy immediately jumps out of the car and tackles me to the grass, passionately kissing me. I kiss his neck (down near the little niche by his collarbone, it drives him crazy!) as he kisses my sensitive spot: my earlobes! We start rolling around until a car driving by honks at us. Then we come to. We shoot up onto our feet and look at each other. _

_"You WILL call as soon as you land, right?" I ask. _

_"I might even call before that!" promises Andy. I smile. _

_"And Christmas?" I ask. _

_"I'll be coming down your chimney for sure!" said Andy. I have to laugh. That sounded so wrong! But the brief laugh ends as I look at his car, motor running, awaiting his return. I begin squealing again. Andy grips me in his strong arms. The only place I feel secure is in his arms. _

_"I love you, please keep loving me," I whisper. _

_"I swear on my grandfather's grave that I will miss you constantly. I love you, Ally," he whispers back to me. Then he kisses me softly one last time. Then, as swiftly as he'd come, he hops in his car and drives off towards the airport. His old rust-bucket engine puffs out a huge cloud of exhaust that blinds me. _

_By the time the dust clears, all traces of my Andy are gone.

* * *

_

Allison woke up to find she'd fallen asleep in the tub, and the water had turned cold. Allison hopped out of the bathtub and pulled the plug. She wrapped a towel around herself and looked at the clock again. She'd been dreaming in the bath for nearly 3 hours (and she'd thought she didn't feel like sleeping)! Allison rushed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Helene was still snoozing, despite the fact the alarm clock was buzzing consistently. Allison rolled her eyes and hurled a pillow at Helene, which was followed by Helene yelping.

"Get bent!" she moaned.

"It's nine you jackass!" Allison hollered. Helene looked at the clock and slowly eased herself to her feet. She nodded and trudged to the bathroom as Allison slammed the door. What the fuck was she going to wear? All she had were ratty old skirts and concert t-shirts!

Allison growled and sifted through her closet when she heard a knock on the door. Aaron walked in with a box under his arm. Allison yelled at him out of stress.

"Aaron! I have NOTHING! I don't want to go out to a museum uptown with Andy looking like a slug!" Allison whined. She sounded like a pretty-pretty princess!

"I know," said Aaron smugly. Allison turned around to face him.

"So?" asked Allison. She looked at the box he held. "What's that?" she asked.

Aaron smiled. "I figured even you would wanna look nice today!" he said, opening the box. Allison peered inside. She gasped. A dress was inside. It was a light purple, almost a sickly shade that would make her usually puke. But when Allison pulled it out, she found it was such a piece of work. It was strapless, but had a sweeping asymmetrical skirt that looked like Cinderella's. It was gorgeous, despite the color. "It was Gregg's sister's prom dress. I made some calls and she sent it over happily. It's your day, Princess. You aren't being inspired anymore…as of today, you are inspiring!"

Allison felt a tear come to her eye as she hugged Aaron and took the dress. "Oh god, Aaron! It's stunning! Thank you so much!" Aaron smiled. Andy wouldn't be able to resist! He walked out slowly as Allison shut the door to get changed.

Three hours later, exactly, Andy knocked on the door. Aaron opened it and grinned. Andy had actually donned a tuxedo for the event of Allison's showing. Damn, he looked fine! Helene dressed up as well, but only in a simpler style of a dress in a light minty-green color. Andy sighed.

"It's a big day for Allison, eh?" he said. Aaron smiled.

"You ready? We're going!" hollered Aaron.

"I'm NOT gonna miss the free buffet!" yelled Helene. Andy giggled. He had a feeling Allison was going to break out of her shell and dress up quite a bit. Who wouldn't? But nothing on earth could have prepared him for who came out of the bedroom.

Allison, in a drop-dead gorgeous dress, slowly strolled into the living room. Andy felt his breath thinning and eventually slipping away. She wore REAL makeup, her hair was swept back. God, she filled out that dress so finely! Andy was almost in tears. She, for once, put Vanessa to absolute shame.

Allison felt Andy's stare on her. It felt like a warm wind on a freezing day. Allison felt beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.

"Ready to go?" she asked. Andy honestly wanted to just stand there and observe Allison. She was, well, perfect.

"You look amazing!" he declared. Allison blushed. Aaron grinned. "Yes! I have the limo warmed up outside!" Allison blinked. A LIMO? "Surprise!" Andy said. Allison blushed. Andy offered his arm to Allison, who smirked and took it. Helene took Aaron's arm, and the quartet headed outside.

* * *

The abstract exhibit was unveiled as Allison and Andy finished their buffet lunch. Among Allison's paintings were the one he'd witnessed being created (the girl and the tree), and two others that were totally abstract. Allison truly had a lot of talent. After Allison and the other artists in the exhibit talked for awhile, Helene and Aaron went to look at statues while Allison begged Andy to explore into the other abstract exhibits from the different eras. They discussed paintings for awhile before moving onto the next one. Andy couldn't help but notice how elegant and mature she looked. Andy felt like a middle school boy taking his older sister to a dance because he couldn't find another date. She outshined everyone else in the room. 

The couple walked up to a painting by a lesser-known abstract artist from France named Pierre-Luc De Florette. His painting was deep bloody red, with splatters of wooden brown and lightning yellow jagged and broken shapes all over. Andy's eyes hurt from this one. He thought it looked like a baby could do it of given the right colors. Andy began to move on without a word. Allison, however, managed to grab his elbow and pull him back.

"What's the hurry?" asked Allison.

"I don't get this one, let's keep going," insisted Andy. Allison scowled. How could he not see it? But that was just it…

"No, you don't SEE it, Andy," said Allison. Andy shook his head.

"No, I definitely SEE it, but it's just a bunch of blots and broken shapes!" said Andy. Allison sighed woefully at Andy.

"Andrew Clark, there is a difference between LOOKING and SEEING!"

"I don't see much difference," Andy muttered. Allison rolled her eyes.

"A blind man can see without looking, Andy," explained Allison. "He senses feeling and emotion. But a man who doesn't even need glasses can only look at a work and not see it's depth and beauty," she finished. Andy rose an eyebrow. Allison grunted. "Look at the painting. It's a bunch of spots and shapes, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah, I told you," he answered.

"No, close your eyes, Andrew, and SEE it!" Allison ordered. Andy took a breath and did so. Suddenly, Andy got the vision of the painting in his head and felt hot, dizzy, almost angry. He opened his eyes and looked at the painting.

"I saw it! I felt mad, weak, hot, aggravated," he said. Allison nodded and grinned from ear to ear.

"Congratulations, Andrew Clark, you've jus seen you're first painting!"


	13. The Blind Man Can See: Part II

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy and Allison come back from the museum…alone. No one else in the apartment. Complete alone-ness. You see what I'm getting at? ;)

* * *

_

The door to the loft apartment burst open as Allison and Andy stumbled in laughing over a conversation they were having. They were sober from alcohol, but high on happiness. Allison's dress was beginning to slip at the bust line. Andy's bowtie was undone. Allison's hair was disheveled. Andy's top coat was around Allison's shoulders. They'd gone out to dinner, just the two of them, after the showing. Andy had paid for it all. Life was so much fun. They'd spent their time getting back to the apartment and chatted like they were 17 again. It was a wonderful evening that Allison didn't want to forget.

"Andy, you wanna stay for awhile?" asked Allison between giggles.

"Yeah, I don't see why not!" said Andy. Allison looked around in the bedrooms.

"Huh, we're alone!" said Allison. "Helene and Aaron must be out at a concert or something at the Gardens," she suggested. She then instructed Andy. "Go sit on the porch, I'll get us some champagne of you want," she said. That's right, Allison Reynolds had replaced the vodka in her cabinet with champagne!

"That'd be great, thanks!" said Andy, going to the porch and sitting. The sun had nearly completely set, and only a glimpse of natural light remained. Andy looked around on the street below. A young bongo player and her boyfriend were sitting in their apartment on the ground floor across the road, smoking marijuana and trying to come up with words for a poem. A group of preteens played a card game under a dim streetlight. People walking by were dressed in odd, loose-hanging, casual clothing. This was where Allison belonged. She was happy here. Andy wished he were as lucky. In truth, he wanted out of the city. Even in his luxury apartments, he still wasn't completely satisfied with his home life. The tables have certainly turned.

Allison came onto the porch a moment later with two glasses of bubbly champagne. Andy stood up and took one. Allison sat down next to him and took a sip of her drink. They were silent for a long time.

"Today was the best day of my life!" she suddenly said to Andy. "I owe a lot of it to you!"

"No way! Ally, this is all yours. I just wore a tuxedo and escorted you there. YOU made the painting! YOU sold it to an art collector for the MMA, and YOU wowed everyone there with your work. Ally, you did this on your own," said Andy. Allison took another sip, as did Andy.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" she suggested.

"What does?" asked Andy.

"To do something for yourself that changed your life. For me it was this, for you it was your office! It's knowing you did something so great like that, it makes you feel high!"

Andy sighed. "To tell you the truth, I wouldn't know," he admitted. Allison looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? You have your own business!" said Allison.

Andy shook his head. "No, it's not my business. I didn't pay for any of it or come up with the idea. Truth be told, I didn't even begin majoring in anything remotely close to physical therapy!"

"Oh?" asked Allison. Good old Andy STILL can't think for himself!

"I met Vanessa within the first semester at Ohio State. I was majoring in journalism. I wanted to be a news anchor, maybe a sports anchor..."

"That would suit you so well!" said Allison.

"Yeah, but it was Vanessa who convinced me to change to a major that would give me my own business, and she said that she'd pay for it for me if we got an apartment together. I really had no choice. I was into Vanessa," he said. Allison sighed and looked at her feet.

"What three things do you like best about her? In no particular order," asked Allison. Andy groaned and thought for a second.

"She's got great hair, she's able to support herself, and she's a steadfast person who won't stop until she gets her way," said Andy. Allison nodded and raised a corner of her lip.

"So, you like her because she's got Barbie hair, and she's a rich spoiled brat?" asked Allison. Andy rolled his eyes and finished his champagne.

"Let's not bring her into this. It's been such a nice night!" said Andy.

"Oh yeah, let's not forget, you met her during your first semester? That's when you drifted away from me! Andy, if you wanted to break up for someone else then you should have called me! It's better than just waiting, waiting, waiting for a whole goddamn year! You suck!" Allison got up and went inside, slamming the door behind her loudly. A Spanish woman began swearing from below them. Andy stood up and slapped his head. He didn't really have a way with words, did he?

Andy went inside to try and apologize. Allison was on the floor, her head in the arms on the sofa, crying. Her dress was like a protective circle around her, wide and thick.

Andy felt his heart sink. He'd just ruined Allison's perfect day. What a man he was! Andy went to her side and put his hand on her bare shoulders (the coat had fallen off). Allison sat up and looked at Andy. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought her up," said Andy.

"You look at Vanessa, but you can't see her. You are no better than the blind man," Allison answered. "When you met me more than ten years ago, you were looking at me. But by that day's end, you were seeing me. I see people. That's why I'm an artist. But you, you can't see anything!"

Andy smiled at Allison. "I see you," he said. Allison looked into his eyes and he looked into hers. Allison felt her heart pang with excitement. Andy felt himself go warm. The world around him blurred as all he could see was Allison. Vanessa, who was this Vanessa? Allison licked her lips.

What Andy did next was totally involuntary. He leaned into Allison, took her face in his hands, and kissed her. Allison wanted to melt. She kissed him back and threw her arms around his shoulders. He moved his hands to her waist. They closed the space between them and kissed more. Allison felt like a queen. Andy couldn't help himself. Allison was perfect. She went way beyond what Vanessa—

—Oh shit! Vanessa! Andy pulled away from Allison, immediately shot up from the floor, grabbed his coat from Allison's shoulders, and quickly left the apartment. Allison went up and ran after him down the spiral staircase. Andy was out the door before Allison could catch up. Allison went back into the apartment, and went into bed. She collapsed onto her bed and smiled. Touching herself where Andy had touched her, Allison fell into an idyllic and blissful sleep.


	14. Guilty, With No Regrets

_**Chapter Summary: **This one's more of a short filler chapter with just Andy (sorry, review me anyways, plz?). The good stuff is yet to come!

* * *

_

Andy just needed a drink. And not champagne. He needed something hard. VERY hard. He needed to drown himself. His mind was ready to explode and spill stupid juice all over the freshly steamed carpet. Instead of getting a drink, he ripped his shirt off and fell onto the sofa. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television to a hockey game and muted it. This was just too overbearing. He was so messed up.

The thing was, he kissed Allison. He'd been the one provoking the action, and she didn't pull away. He'd been the one caressing her face as he put his lips to hers. He'd been the one feeling around her waist as she dug her soft fingers into his sensitive neck. And he was the one engaged to be married, not her. Vanessa was going to hang him high for this. Of course he wouldn't tell her, but god forbid Allison come over to the apartment one day while she was there…

The past month with her (after getting over the clashing there was for awhile) had been the best month he'd had in 10 years. Before Allison, he'd been a black-and-white photograph. Realistic, monotone, and barely there. Allison splashed color into his world and mixed things up, her and her roommates. Now he was a vibrant, silly, abstract Picasso. Confused, mystified, out-of-focus. Andy had been sucked into her world and now there was no escape. Kissing Allison felt like such a relief. Like a drink of water after a dust storm in the Sahara. Like having Gatorade poured on him after winning a Superbowl. The other thing was, Allison was so mature, so wise. Her mind was constantly open and she listened. Money didn't matter. Heck, she'd just gained 30 grand in cash and yet she wasn't splurging much. She'd spend a tenth of it on rent for the next half year, another 1,000 on art supplies and fancy food to pig out on in celebration, and the rest she actually opened a bank account for (Aaron's suggestion, so it could gain interest over time). She didn't buy diamonds or fancy gowns. She didn't go on a vacation with it. Money was the least of her concerns. Allison's thing was being content. She would take being happy over a million dollars in a heartbeat. She was the polar opposite of his girlfriend, to whom he'd made a commitment to making a lifelong commitment. And Andy had kissed her.

The worst part of all was, he didn't regret it. Not in the least.

Lying there, his eyes gazing the ceiling, Andy knew he didn't regret the kiss. He still felt the spicy tingle on his lips Allison gave him. Vanessa never gave him that. He'd always thought a kiss was a kiss. No big deal. Tonight, Allison showed him what a real kiss was. It was a beautiful thing that left a mark on him. More beautiful than anything he and Vanessa had done. Suddenly, his physical therapy office wasn't important. Wedding plans weren't important. Nor were the scores of the Calder Cup Championships. Now his mind was filled with peace, harmony, and yoga. He naturally smelled incense in the air now. He now had dreams of dancing in the moonlight, of having snowball fights on rooftops, of swimming naked in the ocean at sunrise. Before he'd dreamed of Vanessa pregnant with his child, him teaching his son football or him driving his daughter to her ballet recital, his financially set family having a huge house in New Jersey and attending Sunday Church ice-cream socials like his own parents had done with him. Well, just look how that turned out, eh? No, Andy wasn't going to be his father. If anything came out of his reunion with Allison, it was Andy discovering there was a life beyond routine, beyond family.

On the other hand, Allison, if she ever did get married, would end up living in that gross loft apartment living off scraps, selling paintings to stay alive. Children needed care and safety. They needed to trust that their parents could afford to feed them supper every night. They needed structure, help to grow. Allison was a free spirit. Should she have kids one day at all? The baby would probably end up a stoner or a hippie! That wouldn't do. Vanessa brought in a nice chunk of change every month. She was a structured, steady girl who kept the straight and narrow path. Allison preferred the road less traveled. God knows what lurked in the shadows of the unseen paths.

God, Andy was turning into the basket case! He recalled Allison teaching him about Yin and Yang one day while she tried to teach him yoga. Yin was dark, mysterious, unseen, natural, spooky, unsure, danger, dreams, night, and fantasy. Yang was light, answers, visible, man-made, calming, sure, safety, reality, and daytime. Allison was pure yin. Vanessa and Andy were yang. So…didn't that mean he had to be with Vanessa…yin and yang were opposites, they didn't get along. Or did opposites attract in this case? Andy wanted to hit himself in the head and black out. He didn't need this.

He felt guilty about having no regrets. It didn't get any more confusing than THAT!

Andy groaned. Suddenly, Vanessa walked in the door in a pink satin evening gown.

"Catalina's reception was so beautiful! Too bad you were sick, Andy!" said Vanessa, walking casually over to her brainwashed sweetheart.

_Fuck it! Go away, Vanessa! _Andy wanted to say, but he didn't have the balls to.

"Andy, you know what? I'm in the mood! God I feel like a rebellious tiger who wants to be free and spontaneous! Let's make love! I am so passionate and heated up right now!"

Andy rolled his eyes. The LAST thing he needed was sex. Of all the nights for Vanessa to be horny! "Goodnight, Vanessa," he said coldly, getting up and walking into his bedroom, calmly shutting the door behind him, leaving Vanessa alone and bewildered in the living room.


	15. Girl Talk

_**Chapter Summary: **Allison sees the truth…she's in love with Andy! Again, another filler that leads up to the biggest part of the story, coming up soon, I promise!_

_**MATURITY WARNING: Mature elements contained within this chapter, so do NOT read if you're immature!

* * *

**_

The next morning, Allison was on cloud nine. She stayed in bed all morning, trying to extend her fantasy she'd dreamed last night. She dreamt that she'd gotten three pieces of art in a museum, and Andy had kissed her passionately without her doing anything to provoke him. Then, Allison finally realized that it wasn't a dream. Andy had kissed her, and she was hanging in a museum. Allison sank into the sheets and wrapped herself in a cocoon of bed sheets. Life was good, life was VERY good!

"Allison? Get your lazy ass out of bed!" scolded Helene around noon. Allison rolled her eyes and smiled dopily at Helene.

"He kissed me!" she said.

Helene took a step back and rose an eyebrow. "Are you high?" she asked.

"Helene, god! I feel so happy!" said Allison. "You…you wanna go for a walk?" she asked. Helene looked around.

"A walk? At noon? In Pajamas?" asked Helene, confused.

"I'm not in pajamas…" smiled Allison, pulling away the sheet, revealing that she'd never taken off her purple dress. Helene rolled her eyes.

"You are sick! You wanna go walking? Fine, gimme five minutes…"

* * *

The day was another sunny delight, but ominous cloud lurked to the west, threatening rain. But they were at least two hours away, they wouldn't be an immediate threat. Allison wore a light black sweater that she'd kept from her youth, and a jungle-green peasant skirt. Helene wore a black wifebeater and jeans. Allison just loved the way people would stare at them in their weird clothes as they walked by. Allison loved the way little girls called her skirts "princess skirts!" Allison loved the way the early afternoon smelled. Life was just a bowl of cherries. Helene, on the other hand, was confused. 

"Allison, sit down, I think you may need a rest!" Helene said, sitting down with Allison on a bench. Helene put her arm on Allison' shoulder. "Why are you so perky? Yesterday still not worn off yet?"

Allison smiled. "Andy kissed me, Helene!"

"Ooh? Are you back in love with him?" asked Helene. Allison frowned and shook her head.

"Oh no! It's just, I haven't been kissed in so damn long! I'd forgotten how good a kiss felt! Andy was the last kiss I had before last night, and it was reliving the days before he left. Such fun days, Helene! Oh god, times have changed. Ten years ago, Andy and I, along with three others, were a bunch of nut heads who went out to conquer the world! Back then, we thought we'd be together forever!" Allison sulked a bit.

"Ally, nothing can last forever, even a group of stupid teenagers know that!"

Allison felt a tear go to her eye. She never hoped she'd grow old enough to say something of that sort. Helene's heart had died. She was an adult. It truly WAS an unavoidable! Allison wept. Helene realized she'd said something wrong.

"Oh god, Ally! I'm sorry! I don't know what I said, but I'm sorry I said it!" Allison sat up and nodded.

"I know. It's just, we were so confident that nothing would tear us apart! Two of us went to college, and one of us just got up and left. Me and this other girl, Claire, were all that remained of five strong. Claire and I never left each other's sight from that March on. But, July the following year, I said to myself, 'he's not coming back for me.' I couldn't stick around just for Claire. I had nothing. I left a note for her, and another for my mother and brothers (like they'd care I was gone anyways) and I hopped on an eastbound bus and never came back," Allison described.

"That little shit abandoning you for a Polly Pocket with Real Plastic Breasts was downright horrible," said Helene.

"It's been such a ride when he came back into my life. I feel alive again. I've woken from the dead, Helene. Andy's a wonderful man, he just is hiding behind a wall of solid gold," Allison woefully admitted.

"You ever find out what happened to your other friends?" Helene asked.

"Nope. Not since I left have I heard about Brian, Bender, or Claire," Allison answered. "Just Andy."

"You still love him, right?" Helene asked. Allison looked at Helene wide-eyed.

"Oh for the love of god, no! Helene, I can't!"

Helene rolled her eyes. "If this is because of his fiancée, Morticia Adams, I'll gladly—"

"—it's not!"

"Then why can't you just admit it?" asked Helene.

"Because, HELENE! I need to learn to move on! Andy has, I need to get out and learn to fall in love again! To date, to marry, I need to stop living in the past!" Allison protested.

"Yeah, because you've done such a good job with it so far! As long as I've known you, you haven't had a single date!"

"Give me a break! I do NOT love him! I did once upon a time, but he doesn't love me even if I did!" Allison got up and began walking again. Helene caught up.

"If he doesn't subconsciously love you, then why did he kiss you last night?" she asked.

"He was apologizing! He'd pissed me off and he was apologizing!" Allison excused.

"Ally, darling, I've been in the US 12 years, and I don't see any American custom of making out as a way to apologize!"

Allison stayed quiet. Then she burst, "We WEREN'T making out!"

"Was there tongue?" asked Helene. Allison grunted. Oh there was tongue and a damn lot of it for a moment…

"A little bit," admitted Allison.

"Ally. You love him. And you're never gonna feel better about it if you don't TELL him about it!"

Allison found a small oak and sat beneath it. Helene sat beside her. It was a tree very close to this one that Allison had lost her virginity under. Andy had driven Allison out to the country in early June 1984. They'd spent the day laughing and goofing around. But it began raining heavily that afternoon, and they'd retreated to under an oak tree. Andy had two blankets, one he set beneath them, and one over them. Allison wiped a drop of rain from Andy's cheek, and he began kissing her fingers. There were some hesitations, and yeah it wasn't a revolving bed with feather-stuffed pillows and rose petals, but it was still extremely romantic. Allison knew then that the movies lied. When people did it in the movies, it was slow and almost choreographed, and there was no panting or sweating. No moaning either. Not to mention the movies didn't show any of the foreplay part. Allison's experience was just the opposite. Allison's experience was better than any movie. It was reality. Andy had been gentle with her, but it still hurt a bit when they finally consummated. Still, it was an incredibly beautiful experience. Afterwards, unlike people's warnings, nothing changed between her and Andy. They were still deeply in love. No awkwardness. But they never had sex again before Andy left.

So here, when women her age were already mothers, Allison had made love a whopping one time. Even Helene had a pregnancy scare at one point (turns out it was just a late period). Allison had sometimes craved that feeling within her again that she had under that tree a decade ago.

It was then Allison finally realized it. She'd loved Andy all along and had waited out just for him.

Allison smiled at Helene. "I love him," she said.

"You what?" asked Helene.

"I do, Helene! I love Andrew Clark!" Allison felt a huge weight being lifted off her chest.

"Then tell him!" suggested Helene.

"Right now?" asked Allison.

"YES! He's home right now, right?"

"Yeah, it's Sunday!" said Allison.

"Then go to him and confess!" said Helene excitedly. Allison got up.

"His apartment's a damn long ways! But I don't care!" Allison was excited. She was ready. She was so ready!

"Go! I'll meet you at home! Tell me how it went!" Helene said. Allison ran off and waved. Helene nodded. "Better hurry," she called out. "It's gonna rain heavy soon!" Allison disappeared down the path.

Interesting how long it took for her to realize something that was obvious from the start.


	16. The Last Bond

_**Chapter Summary: **Allison may be on cloud nine, but Andy's a wreck, and he wants out…FAST. We're finally going to start getting somewhere now! Thanks for your patience up until now!

* * *

_

It'd been eating at Andy all morning. He'd though he could sleep it off, but that theory was for shit. In the morning, the feeling of Allison's sweet-tasting lips still lingered on his own. It made him feel good…and that was bad. His commitment and his strict "Stick To It" Policy was fading away with each flashback he had of her. She was haunting him.

Andy knew he had to get over these obvious feelings for Allison. He basically cheated on Vanessa with her last night. No matter what anyone said about following your heart, infidelity was wrong. He loved Vanessa. Allison was his past. Vanessa was his present, and kids would be his future. Andy didn't know why he sounded last night like he hated his physical therapy job. Had Vanessa never recommended it to him, he'd be his own version of Allison. Andy was going to marry Vanessa. His father would be ripping him to shreds if he left her. What did Allison seem to satisfy that Vanessa didn't? Whatever it was, he had to learn to live without it. Aaron was wrong. He didn't love Allison.

He lusted for Allison.

Andy shook his head at the thought. No! Lust was worst than love! Andy was screwed over. He needed an escape, a way to solve this problem before it ate him.

There was only one escape. He had to marry Vanessa. ASAP.

Andy wasn't thinking rationally, but somehow he thought he was. Andy immediately went to the phone. "When's your next flight to Vegas? I need two tickets!" Andy confirmed the tickets and went to pack a bag. Vanessa was still asleep, the little slug! Andy slowly bent down to her side and kissed her cheek. Vanessa stirred. "Ness? Baby?"

"Andy? What is it?"

"Pack a small bag. We're getting married!" Andy said excitedly to mask his fear.

"What?!" Vanessa shot up, fully awake.

"We're going to Vegas and getting married now!"

"You're ridiculous! We have no plans!" said Vanessa, getting out of bed.

"I know! That's what makes it thrilling! And it'll cost a lot less money to rent a chapel for an hour!" said Andy. "Our flight leaves in a few hours! Let's go get hitched!'

Vanessa grinned. "You crazy boy! Alright, let's do it!" Vanessa said, joining in the excitement. Vanessa got out of bed and went to pack a bag. Andy went to call the front desk of the apartment building.

"Hello?" asked a female voice.

"This is room 31C, hold our mail for a few days, we're getting married!" said Andy.

"Mazeltov, Mr. Clark. Request confirmed," said the woman, who then hung up.

Andy hung up too. By then, a steady drizzle began to fall outside. Vanessa came into the living room excitedly with a small suitcase, dressed in a white traveling suit. Andy scooped Vanessa in his arms and kissed her. The kiss felt cold as stone. Andy ignored it. Everything was going so fast he forgot it within minutes.

"Let's go, I have a taxi waiting for us!" said Andy, grabbing his bride's hand and rushing out of the building with her and down the street to the corner. The cab picked up the 'happy' couple and whisked off to JFK airport.

* * *

The rain was now heavy and steady. Allison, who'd spent half the afternoon working her way uptown to Andy's building, was sopping wet, but still blissful as she ran down the final sidewalk before the huge building appeared. The smile had never left her face as she made her way inside. The inside felt warm, welcoming, full of promise. Allison had forgotten his apartment number. Luckily an older lady at the front desk wasn't looking busy, so Allison went up to her and asked.

"Andrew Clark's apartment number, please?" she asked sweetly, her body soaked to the bone. The lady looked at her, only curious about her wet body for a minute.

"Andrew Clark is in 31C, but if you intend to visit him, he'll be away for a week's time," she informed. Allison double-blinked. What the hell was this about being away?

"For what reason?" she asked.

"If you MUST know, he is getting married in Las Vegas. Him and his fiancée left just an hour ago," she said. "Do you need a towel, Miss?"

Allison shook her head. Unable to soak up the news, she slowly made her way outside. Andy didn't love her. He was getting married in Las Vegas. No, this wasn't happening! Allison began to lose breath as she stepped back out into the down-pouring rain. The sky was gray, dark, and ominous. Allison stood in the rain, by herself for a long time in disbelief. Andy was staying with Vanessa. The kiss was a fake. He'd planted it on her. Allison cried, but the hot tears were cancelled out by the chilling rain.

"ALLISON!" called a voice from behind her. She turned to find Aaron running at her with an umbrella. "It's six! We'd thought you'd be home by now!" Allison fell to her knees. Aaron fell beside her.

"He's in Las Vegas marrying that bitch!" Allison hollered. Aaron's heart panged and ached. Not on his behalf, but on hers. "He allegedly left an hour ago!"

Aaron wouldn't let this happen. He couldn't watch Allison's spirit die like this. He helped her to her feet.

"Come on with me," he said.

"Where are we going?" asked Allison.

"To the bank! We're taking enough money out for two plane tickets to Las Vegas!"

* * *

It was 9 PM when Flight 163 to Las Vegas was flying over Shermer. Allison couldn't see out the window, it was pitch black. But that's all she did was stare out the window. Her mind was on Andy's betrayal. Again. This was the second time he ran away from her. The thing was, she didn't even CAUSE it. He'd been the one to lay his hands on her face. He'd pressed his lips against hers! He'd been the one to stick his tongue down her throat! And why did SHE feel like she was the bad one? She was just thankful she had the money to fly out with Aaron to Vegas to stay until this got sorted out. She hoped it would get sorted out quickly. 

The thing was, she knew Vanessa was a hard roadblock to overcome. But she'd felt so sure that the kiss had been real. She and Andy could leap over the roadblock and live out their lives happily, united, satisfactorily. Allison had even bothered to dream about her future. She and Andy would move out of the city, raise one son (named Brett Jeremiah Clark) and one daughter (named Ophelia Anastasia Clark), both beautiful children. She'd be a full-time art teacher, he'd be a sports anchor like he always wanted. Life would be perfect. But it obviously wasn't turning out that way. What Allison needed to know was, what was the kiss for. After that, she'd walk out of his life forever like he'd walked out of hers.

Only this time they wouldn't reunite in a decade, Allison vowed. Two major heartbreaks were plenty enough for her. This one last confrontation would break the last bond that remained within The Breakfast Club.


	17. What Happens Here Stays Here: Part I

_**Chapter Summary: **Can Allison stop the wedding in time?

* * *

_

"AARON! Of all the times you tell me you never got a license!" hollered Allison as Aaron scrambled to put the rental car back in the lane. They'd been searching all morning, and it wasn't easy. There were literally 100s, maybe 1,000s of chapels in Las Vegas! Exactly how STUPID were these people? There were just as many divorce courts in the area as there were chapels! What happened the marriage being a sacred bond between two people until death do they part? Allison already hated Vegas. So far Aaron AND Allison had each been hit on by a drunk, a stripper of both sexes, and more drunks who stripped while drinking.

"Well, YOU never even got a permit!" said Aaron, getting frustrated quickly. He slammed the breaks as a sudden stop light turned red. He nearly rear-ended a Porsche in the process.

Allison took out a Vegas phone book and crossed out three more chapels. "That takes out Ali Baba chapel, Elvis Chapel, Camelot Chapel, Moulin Rouge Chapel, and Viking Chapel…Jesus Christ, how tacky are West Coast people?!" she exclaimed.

"How many does that leave us?" asked Aaron, quickly gaining speed as he passed through the now green intersection.

Allison counted. "34 more!" she nearly yelled. Andy could've been married by now! They could NEVER search 34 more chapels by the time he said "I do!" Allison sank down in her seat. Andy sucked. He REALLY sucked ass. He was so charming, so warm-hearted, so loving and intelligent. Yet he decides to waist it all. On Vanessa, who could one day be America's Most Sexy Inmate! Maybe he wasn't so smart.

Or maybe he REALLY didn't love Allison. Maybe he'd kissed her on a whim or he was being tempted to kiss her? Allison sighed. He DID know what was best for him. But Allison did NOT want to give up until she found out for sure.

"Aaron, you think this is a waist of time?" asked Allison. Aaron found a nice cruising speed and kept with it.

"No I don't. Allison, we as artists are naturally severely sensitive. We need answers to our infinite questions and we press our luck until we get the results. That's what sets people like us apart from the richies and smart-asses and business people, Mouse. We have some things they don't."

"What's that?" asked Allison.

"Sympathy. Naturally, because we ourselves choose the hard-knock life, we understand people who have no choice but to live that way. We are often the underdog, so we understand the underdog. We also had determination. Rich people are used to it all, so they feel they can get their money's worth without giving it their full potential. We bust ass to get as far as we go in life. People may see us as coffee-drinking, poetry-reading, dope-smoking losers who had chances then wasted them. In truth, we are the way we are because we care about others rather than ourselves," Aaron looked at Allison. "You still wanna go on, Mouse?"

Allison looked out the window. Sometimes Aaron made her feel fortunate being a starving impoverished artist. He was right. She just HAD to know. Then she'd turn her back on him once and for all. He'd be happy that way, she'd be happy (after awhile) that way. If she wasn't happy, she'd just drink her way out of it like before. She'd hit the bottle kind of hard when she first came to the City. After some help from Helene and Aaron, she'd gotten past it. God help her if she went back empty-handed and picked up a bottle of booze. Allison put on a smile of confidence and turned to Aaron.

"Aaron, there's a Greek Acropolis Chapel coming up on your left!" Allison pointed out. Aaron nearly grazed a light post turning in.

* * *

Andy wasn't in a tuxedo. No, he'd conveniently forgotten to bring that. So instead he just wore a really nice dress shirt. A few minutes until the big event! It was a Monday afternoon and it was time to finally put these old feelings to rest and start with Vanessa a new and wonderful life. Andy and Vanessa had picked out a simple garden-y chapel (indoors) with an Ancient Greek theme. There were a few rows of seats, but no one filled them (this WAS a secret!). Andy sighed. He'd hoped that Allison would come and perhaps read from the Bible or something. No, this was the way it had to be. Andy never wanted to be disloyal again. He would tell Allison when he got home, but only after the honeymoon and a little while after. He still wasn't sure why Vanessa hated her so much, but maybe things would calm down after a few weeks apart. 

An old lady sitting at the organ began playing as Andy turned around. Vanessa, who'd spent the morning buying a slim white mini dress and veil, walked down the shortened aisle towards Andy. Something in his gut told him this wasn't right. He always envisioned smiling at his bride, and her casting her eyes down at the floor, flattered. He couldn't crack a smile, though. His heart felt like lead. He was just nervous.

Vanessa took her fiancé's hands in hers and they turned to the priest, dressed as Zeus.

"Dearly beloved, we…I gather here today to bear witness to the union of—"

Andy never liked long church speeches. They made him drone out. And he did just that. Why was Allison all he could think about? Her image appeared to him in several places. In the flickering flame above the lit candle on the altar she spiraled and danced around like she did in the rain in the old video he'd watched. In the window on the wall she appeared in her purple evening gown, waving at him with a tender smile. In the organ music, he heard her voice singing that song she'd showed him she could play on Helene's guitar.

Ok, now he was just being tormented. Once he said his vows, all these hallucinations would go away and he'd feel no more guilt about not regretting the kiss.

Andy turned to face the entrance. Oh great, another hallucination. Allison appeared in the doorway, looking like she'd been running. She smiled when she saw Andy but sulked to see what he was doing with whom. Unlike the other visions, this one had a shadow. This was Allison!

How the hell did she know where he was?! Andy felt his heart die as he saw the broken hearted look on her face. A tear came to her eye as she realized it was too late. Suddenly, Andy couldn't put up with it either.

"Hold on!" said Andy. Vanessa, the priest, and the organ lady all looked at him. "I…I made a mistake. I'm not really ready now. Vanessa, I'm sorry for dragging you into this so soon!" Vanessa looked at Andy confused.

"Darling, you were the one who proposed this!" said Vanessa. "Why ever not now? No day but today, right?"

Andy smiled. "Vanessa, I have a few loose ends I have to tie up first. We'll go back to New York in two days, then afterwards, we'll set a date and have a real wedding, okay?" Andy proposed. Vanessa smiled half-heartedly and nodded.

"Alright," said Vanessa, kissing her Andy's cheek.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom," Andy said, running up the aisle. Allison saw him coming, and suddenly feeling sick and afraid, ran off. Andy frowned. He needed to solve the issue of the kiss with her. Now.

Andy followed Allison to her car (Aaron seemed to be driving). And they drove off. Andy quickly hopped in his own rental and followed them to the Pyramids of Giza hotel, where Allison was staying.

This was it. Now or never. Andy got out of his car and went inside.


	18. What Happens Here Stays Here: Part II

_**Chapter Summary: **Allison and Andy face off. _

_**MATUREITY WARNING: Mature material below, don't read of you're immature!

* * *

**_

Aaron and Allison had gotten separate rooms, so Allison quickly shot inside and shut the door. She couldn't face him now. He'd called off the wedding temporarily, and that's what she wanted. Allison just didn't feel like bringing up the kiss. The time just didn't feel right. Andy was chasing her, but Allison was relieved enough that Andy remained unwed as of now. Hopefully, Andy wouldn't find her room. Allison decided to hop in the shower and wash her worries away. Despite the fact her heart was breaking, she would be able to sleep somewhat sound tonight knowing that Andy wasn't rolling around with Vanessa on their wedding bed. Allison went into her bathroom and shut the door. She turned on the hot water, took off her skirt and shirt, followed by bra and panties, anmd stepped inside. The water felt absolutley wonderful. She felt her brain melt away with the steam. It massaged her body and relaxed her tense muscles from the day. She'd felt chilly ever since standing in front of Andy's apartment building in the torrential rain. Even though it was near 90 here in Vegas, she still felt shivers. Now she was warm and almost happy!

Andy found Allison's room easily because he'd seen Aaron getting something out of the vending machine on their floor. Aaron had the feeling things would be sorted out here, so he didn't hesitate in telling him. As Andy went down the hall, Aaron said a silent prayer that everything would work out for the best here and now. Meanwhile, Andy found the door unlocked and stepped inside. No one was there, but the shower was running in the bathroom, so he figured Allison was bathing. Andy sat on the one queen-sized bed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. The room was small, but it got the job done. There were no bags or suitcases in sight, did Allison honestly come all the way out here without clothes other than the ones on her back? Allison flat-out amazed him sometimes.

He knew what he had to do. Settle this for real. Running away from his problems wasn't a nice thing to do. He was a big coward. He needed to face Allison and settle every issue they had between them. Seeing Allison stand there in the doorway to the chapel, all helpless, without even a single word in her own defense made Andy feel like shit. She did that to him. She made him feel so good, yet she made him fuck things up for himself, which made him want to shoot his brains in. Andy lied down on the bed, his hands under his head, and stared at the ceiling until he heard the shower turn off. Within a few minutes, the door to the bathroom opened, and out popped Allison, wet and in a robe, nothing else. Andy sat up and looked at her. Why did she have to look so sexy when wet? She looked surprised, if not a little pissed, to see him. She hugged the robe closer to her body, as if to protect something.

"Andy?" was all she could utter. What the hell was Andy doing in her hotel room?

Oh god, ANDY WAS IN HER HOTEL ROOM! It took her afew moments to realize the meaning of those words. Andy. Allison. Alone. Hotel room. Bed. Nightime. Allison had to keep under control. She didn't know whether to kick him out, or jump on top of him and rip his shirt off.

"Allison, we need to talk," Andy began. Allison zapped herself back to reality. Like THAT was ever gonna happen!

"Damn straight we do! Why the fuck did you just up and decide to run off to Vegas and get married without me knowing? You just up and left, and I bet you never intended on seeing me again, didn't you?" Allison began getting red.

"Ally—"

"—DIDN'T YOU?!" Allison nearly yelled. "Just like last time!"

Andy looked at his feet. Now or never. "Allison, I'm afraid."

"Afraid? Of WHAT? It probably had to be pretty damn scary because I don't see what can be scarier than getting married in a city where you can pick up whores for 100 bucks a night! Andy, what the hell could you possibly be scared of?!?!?" Allison felt hot tears burning to come out of her eyes.

"Of YOU!" Andy yelled, afterwards looking at the ground. Allison stared at Andy, who'd jus screamed his feelings at her.

"Afraid of me?" Allison squeaked out. Andy looked up at her and nodded.

"The kiss…the kiss woke me up. Afterwards, I felt this, oh, I don't know! This…"

"…tingling sensation on your lips afterwards?" Allison finished. Andy smiled tenderly and nodded.

"Yeah. And I just felt so—"

"—complete?" Allison finished. Andy nodded again.

"Oh yeah!" said Andy. Allison was thrilled. Andy liked the kiss like she did!

"Andy, I felt the same way. But, how can that make you afraid? It was a beautiful kiss!" Allison reasoned. Andy frowned and shook his head.

"You don't understand, Allison. You're single. Free as a bird. You can do what you want! I'm engaged. I have a ball and chain hanging around my neck!" Andy said, clutching his throat with his left hand.

"But being engaged means you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you love! It shouldn't feel like a ball and chain! It should feel like…like…"

"Like heaven?" asked Andy. Allison smiled.

"Yeah!" Allison agreed. "You know you're meant to be together when you start sweating whenever they look at you," she said.

"You're heart begins pounding when she smiles in your direction," continued Andy, standing up and ogling Allison. Allison was so tempted to lay the robe aside and stand naked before Andy, but her hands were frozen.

Allison stared back. "You start panicking when he's calling for you," she said. Andy smiled tenderly as he closed the gap between him and Allison.

"Allison, I'm afraid of you because I love you," he said. Andy didn't blurt it out. He realized now that he meant it. Allison sighed. She felt herself starting to shake ever so slightly.

"I came over to your apartment, but you'd already left with Vanessa," said Allison. "I was going to tell you that I love you too." Andy and Allison just looked at each other. Allison suddenly leaned in and kissed the niche in Andy's neck (the part that turned him on). Andy sighed. Allison leaned back.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked.

Allison smiled. "Because I knew you wouldn't!" Andy let out a light, airy laugh. He then leaned over to Allison and nibbled on her earlobe. Allison moaned and wrapped her arms around Andy's waist. Andy let go, and then leaned in to kiss her lips. Allison returned the kiss. Suddenly, she pulled away. Andy looked confused.

"Are you running away again?" asked Allison. She had to be sure. Andy shook his head.

"No, I'm through with running away!" he said. Allison smiled and embraced Andy even tighter. She pushed him onto the bed and lay on top of him. They began kissing passionately, Allison wrapping her legs around Andy's thighs. Andy guided his hand up under her robe, feeling her breasts. Allison began unbuttoning Andy's shirt until his chest was exposed. Then she kissed his left nipple, then his right, nibbling as well. Allison finally got his shirt completely off. Andy began untying her robe until it fell to the floor. The room suddenly got very hot as Allison again went for the sensitive spot on his neck. They scooted up to the head of the bed and rolled around so that Andy was now on top. Allison began moaning rhythmically as they began grinding hips. The room began spinning, and then it melted away as Andy's pants came off. They lost themselves in each other. Their hearts beat in unison as Andy guided himself into Allison. They were one body. It was an even better time than Allison or Andy could recall 10 years ago. All thoughts, all worries, all troubles were gone.

Allison never felt better in her life. Andy didn't think once of Vanessa the entire night. It was truly a magical night.


	19. What Happens Here Stays Here: Part III

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy suffers a battle between his head and his heart, and it's time for the final decision. _

_**MATURITY WARNING: DO NOT read if you're immature! (God, I'm sick of writing that!)

* * *

**_

The morning sun streamed through the curtains and left spotlights on the carpeting. But the rest of the room was still fairly dark. The digital clock on the nightstand told the room it was 5:42 AM. But to the two occupants of the bed, it was a timeless moment. Andy slept face up, Allison laid somewhat on her side, her head cradled in his arm. Neither stirred. But one of them was subconsciously awake. After last night's heated passion (god it was such a wonderful night!) Andy had physically been exhausted, but his mind raced endlessly. Hopefully (and most likely) Vanessa had gotten drunk and was still stupefied in their hotel room at Caesar's Palace. But he knew that any infidelity he'd felt when kissing Allison was confirmed when they made love last night. And it wasn't just once, either. After the first time, Andy had gotten up to call Vanessa. Allison, intending for Andy to stay the night, had gotten out of bed totally naked and sat down in the chaise in the corner, crossing her legs and leaning over the edge of the chair and began stretching. Andy couldn't resist seeing Allison's nude body contorted like that, and he leapt on top of her and they had sex on the chaise. An hour later (it was 9:30 PM by that time) Allison gotten up to go into the bathroom and brush her teeth (she was always a maniac about brushing, she hated the feeling of plaque on her molars and was somewhat afraid of going to the dentist, but that was more because she wasn't insured for a visit) when Andy, who still hadn't had enough, crept up behind her and grabbed her waist from behind, lifted her up and playfully hurled her onto the bed, Allison laughing like a drunk all the way. They did it again. After that they both slowed down, and just talked for awhile, Andy caressing the back of Allison's neck while she massaged his arm. By midnight, both were asleep.

Andy knew Allison was right. If he was engaged, it should feel like eternally walking on air. But Vanessa was always in charge of him, almost like his jailer. But Andy, dear sweet loyal Andy, still knew he had to be with her. Andy was still only looking at Vanessa, not seeing her. In college, they'd both been wild and carefree. Andy joined a fraternity and Vanessa worked as a cage dancer to finance her studies. Andy continued to wrestle and Vanessa was the loudest person in his cheering section. Post college, they both literally walked ten feet off campus and grew up. Andy felt committed to her, but something about her post-college had changed her. Once he tried breaking up with her, but Vanessa worked her magic on him, and they still remained together. By the winter of '93, Andy had been brainwashed by her. Allison's coming along began to undo the spell, THAT'S what the problem was. She opened his eyes after they'd been closed for ten years. But by then, it was too late. He'd proposed to her on Christmas night over a stuffed turkey dinner. Andy was always a responsible, respectable man. He always kept his priorities in order. He'd made his bed and he knew now, no matter who tried to interfere, he had to lie in it.

It was this thought that awoke Andy. He looked over at his sleeping lover. Her warm breath rhythmically expelled from her nose and hit his chest. How could she be so beautiful, even in sleep? Andy felt a pang of guilt. Not in what he'd done, but the fact that now he had to break her heart again. Andy knew he had to remain responsible. Vanessa would never find out about this night, and therefore the wedding would go on as planned (just not in Vegas). Andy felt guilty for this one-night stand with Allison, because she was so sensitive. But nonetheless, he was an adult, and he had to stick to his choices, no matter how miserable they made him.

Andy caressed Allison's cheek, making her groan and blink her eyes open. So, it WASN'T a dream! Andy and Allison had made love last night. Allison had been afraid to wake up, thinking it was all a dream and she'd be back in the SoHo loft, Helene tossing pillows at her, forcing her out of bed. Allison looked at Andy and smiled. Andy guiltily smiled back.

"I have to go," he said, pulling away from her. Allison was confused. Go?

"Andy, where's the fire? Stay with me, just a little bit longer!" Allison begged. Andy got out of bed and went to put on his clothes. Allison wrapped the sheets around her torso and sat up.

"I need to get back to my fiancée," he responded. Allison shook her head in disbelief. No, he was too cruel to do this!

"But, what about last night? Aren't you breaking it off?" asked Allison, getting up too and going to her own clothes.

"No. I've made my bed and now I have to lie in it!" said Andy. Allison pulled up her skirt and tossed on her black bra. Then she touched Andy's wrist. Andy jerked it away as he buttoned his shirt.

"Andy! Don't be a dumbass!"

"I'm being an adult!"

"No you're not! Do you realize what you're doing? You're running away again! You promised me last night you weren't!" Allison felt those all-too-familiar tears well up in her eyes. Andy turned to her. She looked like she either wanted to stab herself, or stab him.

"Allison—"

"—YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME, DAMNIT!" Allison yelled. "Was it a lie? Did you lie to me? TELL ME!"

"You don't understand, Ally!" Andy protested, slipping on his shoes. Allison gave him a look of death. She pronounced every word like it was a sentence in itself.

"Don't. You. DARE. Call. Me. Ally. You don't deserve to call me that anymore! You lied to me, and now you're going to blow me off and forget about me AGAIN, right? Well I'm sick of it! I had a feeling this would happen! Andy, you're a goddamn baby, you know that? Always scared that you'll do something risky, and instead you always want to stay safe! Well, if there's ONE thing I know, is that staying safe won't get you anywhere! You know who probably wanted to 'stay safe' when they were young? You're parents! And you're gonna be just like them! So I hope you never have kids, for their sake! They're gonna be just as miserable as you were, and they're gonna be just as lonely as I've been for TEN LONG YEARS! So go, run away and go home to your Vanessa! I'm sure she'll be very happy to have you! BUT!" Allison paused. Andy's lower lip began trembling. "But I swear to god, that if you EVER come near me again, I will kill you. I will kill you, and then I'll kill myself. And then I'll spit on you as you're rotting in hell for this! Get out of here NOW! GO AWAY! Go marry Vanessa and life the perfect life. I hope you're VERY happy with it!" Allison, tearing pouring down her face, opened the door and literally shoved Andy outside and slammed the door behind him. Andy stood there a moment, taking in Allison's speech. He couldn't stand hearing it, because he knew every word of what she'd said was right. Andy had a second thought.

"Allison, we need to talk!" he yelled at the door.

"WE JUST DID, DUMBASS! GO AWAY YOU SHIT!" she hollered back. Andy's heart was pierced by the words. But he thought again. He knew he had to prove her wrong. He was happy with Vanessa! When they married, they WOULD have the perfect life! Vanessa was at devoted to him as he was to her. They'd have a baby or two, and those kids would be so happy, that they'd be the most fortunate kids on earth. Andy and Vanessa would have the most beautiful babies on earth. Any kids Allison would have would probably be bastards. Allison couldn't afford schooling, insurance, clothes, diapers, any of that! He felt downright sorry for any kids Allison breeds!

Pissed off, Andy walked to the elevators and rode to the lobby to leave the building. Meanwhile, Allison opened the door, making sure the coast was clear. It was, no sign of Andy, and Allison immediately knocked on Aaron's door. Aaron answered quickly.

"What was all that screaming ab—"

"—Aaron, I wanna go home!" begged Allison, lunging at Aaron. She needed a familiar embrace now more than ever. "Please take me home!"

Aaron rocked Allison in his arms and she clutched to him. In truth, the screaming was so loud he knew exactly what had happened. "Sssh," he said protectively. He was SO killing Andrew Clark for doing this! "Mouse, we'll go home as soon as we can.."

"Now!" she demanded. Aaron nodded and pulled Allison inside, shutting the door.

"We'll go home now!" Aaron promised, picking up a phone to call the airlines.


	20. Murderer

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy's decision shocks the Bohemians, and is eating away at Allison.

* * *

_

Allison and Aaron flew back to New York that morning and arrived home early that afternoon. Upon returning home, Allison immediately headed for the bedroom and slammed the door, afterwards locking it. Allison fell into bed and wrapped herself in her own sheets, and drifted off into a saddened sleep. Helene had been on the sofa drinking a can of beer and watching TV.

"Aaron? What's with her?" asked Helene.

"Andy let her go. It was horrible! Poor Mouse," Aaron said. Helene got up.

"Andy went through with the wedding? That asshole!" said Helene. Aaron shook his head.

"No, he didn't go through with it, but he chose to stay with Vanessa," said Aaron. Helene groaned.

"Allison deserves so much better than that douche bag anyhow. Poor thing's been through so much. Life was so much better before she ran into him. We were so happy. Just us, the three Musketeers going strong. Now she's a goddamn wreck! I wanna shoot him! I swear to god if I had a gun…" Helene raged. Aaron took her shoulder.

"Helene, sometimes bloodshed does NOT solve your problems!" said Aaron.

"But it just depresses me when she's depressed!" said Helene. "She's the core of our threesome, you know. Like an apple. You're the skin, you hold the three of us together. I'm that white stuff in between, I'm kinda just there, I guess. But we all tend to center around our Mouse, don't we?" observed Helene. Aaron nodded.

"We're a family, no doubt about that," said Aaron.

Aaron sat down on the sofa and asked Helene for a can of beer. She gave it to him quickly and sat down beside him. "Aaron, Allison's really taking this hard, isn't she?"

"No doubt about that," said Aaron.

"What's heartbreak like?" asked Helene. "You've experienced it, she's experienced it. I haven't really yet," she said. Aaron nodded and closed his eyes.

"You hurt a LOT. Then you want to kill the person who betrayed you, then after that you get extremely pessimistic and depressed, wondering what went wrong, then finally you move on," Aaron said. "The sun comes out eventually."

Helene nodded. "I need my guitar," she said, Going to her instrument and taking it outside. She shut the door behind her and began to play a soft, tragic lament. Aaron remembered when she wrote that: for Gregg's funeral. She'd really tuned it up and added a few bridges. Helene rarely played the lament. When she did, it was for a sad day. For a death, usually (she played it whenever someone in the neighborhood passed). The death today was Allison's spirit. The murderer was Andy's pride, his failure to be able to listen to his heartsong. Aaron sank into the sofa and thought. As Helene skillfully strummed the minor chords, Aaron, on a whim, got up and went for his coat. Helene noticed and went back inside.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I have an idea of where he might be," Aaron said.

"What are you gonna say?" asked Helene.

"I don't know. I really don't. Helene, take care of Mouse for me while I'm out, ok? I might be out awhile."

Helene nodded. "Yes, Aaron," she obliged. Aaron gently went out the door. Helene picked up her guitar and continued her mourner's lament.

* * *

Meanwhile, Allison lay ensnared in her sheets, tormented by those goddamn flashbacks about what might have been. So many wonderful visions! She saw views of children going off to school, going to a midnight movie together once the kids were asleep, or simply sitting around the TV at night. Allison was haunted by this vision the most, the TV scene. Andy was sitting in a recliner, reading the paper and glancing at the news every now and then. An older child (always a son) sitting at the coffee table, drawing out his homework for kindergarten. A younger child (a daughter) playing with a doll or toy truck on the floor, her little stomach flat on the ground. Allison would always be the last to enter the scene. She'd come in and sneak behind Andy's head and kiss his temple area. Andy would jump slightly off his seat, them smile and kiss her on the lips. Then she'd sit on his chair's arm and wrap her arms around his shoulders. It went on like that. It was the scene of a perfect family. A family Allison missed out on in her youth. A family that Allison just missed out on again. Both times it wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault she'd been born to parents who didn't want her. It wasn't her fault Andy didn't have the balls to call off a simple engagement. Why did SHE always end up absorbing the shock of other people's faults? She was the scapegoat, the whipping girl, the one who always took the rap for some else's problem. Andy chose Vanessa. Allison was left out in the cold again. Allison wrapped her entire body in another layer of sheets and rolled over. Only one good thing came out of this whole thing. 

With Andy gone, she could never be betrayed by him ever again.

* * *

Andy had gotten home around the same time Allison had. Vanessa had gone straight home to sleep (she had a slight case of jet lag). Andy wanted to go back to the office. It was closed, but he needed to reschedule a few appointments for the ones he missed. He managed to rearrange everything within an hour. But he still didn't want to go home. He didn't want to look at Vanessa. The metaphorical ball-and-chain Andy had around his neck turned real as a lump would always form whenever he looked at her. Vanessa wasn't so pretty. He could walk down to any newsstand and see a Vanessa look-alike on any given magazine cover. She was cookie-cutter material. Just like his world. 

Andy leaned back in his chair at his desk and suddenly caught sight of the drawer that held the photo of him and Allison. Andy took it out again and stared at it. Allison stood out despite her black clothes. Her demi-smile was radiant. Her hair was almost touchable, looking feathery and soft. Andy could almost smell her conditioner. Too bad he didn't pick her. They might have made it.

But he and Vanessa would make it. She was safe and secure. Andy was convinced he made the right choice.

Then why did he feel so guilty? Andy groaned and crumpled up the picture, tossing it into the wastebasket, along with all of his emotions of Allison. Andy shot up and decided he needed a walk. He locked up and walked down the street towards the park.


	21. Andy's Heartsong

_**Chapter Summary: **Will Andy finally see the light?(NOTE: This chapter is EXTREMELY corny!)

* * *

_

It'd been nice and sunny before the happenings of Vegas (except, of course, for the day it down-poured), but as if nature was mourning as well, the day was gloomy, dark, and overcast. No one walked in the park today. Maybe Aaron was wrong in thinking Andy would retreat to here after coming home. He probably did have at least a few other places of sanctuary. After all, it wasn't like he didn't have problems before meeting Allison.

It was just so sad how one man could be so blind-sighted! Aaron knew Andy was a smart-cookie. He had the ability to look beyond what he merely saw. But so many things had tainted his mind! His father when he was young, Vanessa, even Allison and he and Helene had stinted his mind's growth. The poor man could barely think for himself. If he just learned to put two and two together on his own, he'd be a non-stop powerhouse! Not to mention, he'd realize where his true feelings lied. Aaron sighed. He probably wouldn't find Andy here—

—what was that sobbing? Aaron could have sworn he heard sobbing. He turned the corner. Aaron laughed at the fact that he was just thinking about Andy not being here, yet here he was, crying on a park bench like a little girl! Aaron knew then that HE couldn't be with Andy. He needed a manlier man! But the crying was good too. This meant he was rethinking things! Aaron slipped next to Andy on the park bench.

"You know," Aaron said. Andy shot up surprised. "Crying isn't exactly a cool thing for a guy to do, Andy. Look at me! I'm a gay man and I don't cry! Talk about pathetic! You're a mess! Where've you been, anyways?" Aaron asked. Andy wiped his red eyes.

"I should be happy with the girl who I chose for a wife, shouldn't I?" asked Andy.

"It's better than being miserable!" said Aaron.

"But no matter who I choose, I always end up fucking up my mind!" said Andy, placing his chin in his hand and his elbow on his knee.

"How so?" asked Aaron.

"I chose Vanessa. Yet whenever I go back to her, I keep thinking about nothing but Allison! God, she's so amazing! She's ten times what Vanessa could be!"

"So, you're not with Allison because…" Aaron egged for Andy to continue (this was going great).

"Because whenever I'm at your place or with Allison, I hear my father's voice echoing in my ear about being responsible and sticking to your decisions!" Andy groaned.

"Well, I may be two years younger than you, but even I've gotten past the stage where I listen to what Daddy says!" said Aaron. Andy nodded.

"He's drilled his voice into me ever since I was born! I can't get rid of it!" said Andy in protest.

"No, but to get anywhere, you have to learn to give that drilling a shot of Novocain so you can get on with your life! My dad was a homophobe! His voice still exists in my head, but that doesn't stop me from sneaking into the tennis clubs on Long Island to see the tight shorts, now does it?" Aaron smirked. Andy had to smile at that. Aaron had a way with words sometimes.

"I suppose you're right!" he said. "But I still can't leave Vanessa! I made a commitment! Either way I go, I hurt someone!"

"Well, this is where you have to search within yourself. See which woman's heart you'd feel LESS guilty breaking! It's called your heartsong. I talked about it in my book. It doesn't just apply to artwork and inspiration. It really can apply to the heart too," Aaron said.

"My heartsong?" asked Andy. Aaron nodded.

"It sounds extremely corny, I know. But it's true! There's a very simple test anyone can use to find out where their heartsong lies," Aaron said, pulling a ball of cloth out of his pocket. Unraveling it, it was revealed to be one of Allison's scarves, the one she'd actually worn to detention on March 24, 1984! "You have something of Vanessa's with you?" he asked. Andy nodded, reaching into his own pocket and extracting a silver pendent with a green gemstone set in the middle. It was a gorgeous and expensive piece. It was sitting in his pocket because on the plane home Vanessa had gotten it caught on the cloth backing to her seat and Andy had removed it for her.

"Now, give the pendent to me," said Aaron. He wrapped the scarf into a ball again, then suddenly, without warning, he tossed both items high above them. Andy wondered what kind of loony Aaron was. That pendent was expensive and maybe even irreplaceable! Vanessa would kill him quicker than—

—Andy saw the objects falling back. He quickly got up and his hand subconsciously grabbed for Allison's scarf and brought it safely down to the bench with him. The pendent fell to the earth. Andy realized only after a second what he'd done. His head was screaming at him to grab Vanessa's pendent, yet his heart had told his hand to simply take the scarf, which is what he did. He'd thought for himself for the first time.

Aaron smiled. "Good choice!" he remarked. "It appears that your heartsong is Allison! But will you listen to your heart, or will you let your father's echo scream in your ear like a drill sergeant?"

Andy looked at the scarf in his hand. Then he glanced at the pendent on the ground. Andy held the scarf to his nose and sniffed it. Allison had worn it recently, but apparently not often. It still had the smell (now Andy might have been imagining it) of that library they'd first met in 10 full years ago. True, when he was with Allison, his voice was ordering him around a lot more than when he was with Vanessa. But Aaron told him to drown out his head. Andy shut his eyes and let his heart do the talking. It said one word and one word alone.

"Allison is my heartsong, isn't she?" Andy observed. He turned to Aaron.

"You tell me, lover boy!" he responded.

Andy smiled. He finally had the revelation that took him a whole decade to have. Allison was the one he'd been searching for. He wasn't going to marry Vanessa. No way in hell. Andy got up and started running away.

"Where are you going?" hollered Andy after him.

"I'm breaking up with Vanessa!" he yelled back. Aaron beamed.

"Good! Go on! Get out of here!" Aaron yelled back. He felt so alive now. Watching Andy leave the park and turn for home, Aaron gleefully whooped into the air and jumped up and down before running back for his own home.


	22. Breakaway

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy goes to do the impossible, while Allison remains a recluse. All of you reading, you're all probably gonna say "It's about fucking time!"

* * *

_

Helene paced in front of the locked door to the bedroom in which Allison was holding herself hostage. Where the hell was Aaron? She needed him right now! Helene had the feeling that Allison would love to stay in that bedroom forever.

Meanwhile, a million thoughts ran through Allison head as she lied in her bed in a fetal position, wrapped in blankets. She felt so used. She knew Andy wasn't that kind of man to use a woman for sex. There was passion in that hotel room somewhere. But still, Andy running back to Vanessa had shocked her. She had been positive as she laid there naked in his arms that she'd won. Maybe you couldn't win against the Vanessa Lenoirs of this world. Maybe in a realistic society, money was the element of survival. Man could live physically by bread alone. The mental stability of life was just a bonus to the few who could afford both.

And Allison could afford neither. She was a starving artist. She had no money other than rent money (and the Las Vegas trip had sucked up a LOT of it), so she couldn't go back to school for a major with a better opportunity. She was stuck. Stuck in a cycle of poverty and begging to be put on welfare which she would miss out on every time. It was a circle. Andy was the only one who could have pulled her out of it, and now he was gone. She would be going around in circles until she died. Sell a painting, get another month's rent, starve, paint a picture, sell it, and start over. The only real escape for her was death, and even there God probably demanded rent.

Rolling over, Allison wondered if she really could end it all right now. Helene sometimes kept her switchblade in the drawer on the bedside table between the two beds. Allison took a deep breath, she wondered if she really could do it. She'd never been so emotionally hurt in her life. She was a worthless, poor, vulnerable wreck. At least when Andy abandoned her ten years ago, it took a slow, steady year for her to ease into the pain. This time it was a blow, like a big black blow to the head. Allison didn't want to keep up with the suffering anymore. She couldn't believe she was thinking about killing herself, it just wasn't like her, but she was. Of course, Helene and Aaron wouldn't know what to do without her. She couldn't let them down after all they'd sacrificed for her. That was just being a Grade A bitch.

Nonetheless, after taking a deep breath, Allison reached for the drawer and opened it. She felt around inside, and after a few seconds of nothing, she sat up and looked inside. Nothing at all. There was a huge mass of various items within the drawer, but of all the odd knick-knacks inside, Helene's switchblade was absent.

**DAMNIT!** Allison took the drawer out of the table and hurled it at the wall. Everything inside made a huge crash as it smashed against the wall. Allison could hear Helene gasp. Helene yelled from behind the door. "ALLISON? You okay?" she hollered. Allison whined and moaned in reply, sinking back onto the bed. She couldn't do away with the pain, so now she had to grit her teeth and hope sleep came soon. She needed to come back to her senses quickly. She'd just contemplated SUICIDE! Even now, there had to be at least one better option! Allison squinted her eyes shut. Haunting and agonizing views of Andy and Vanessa standing in front of an altar exchanging loving looks and raising little brat children made her shiver.

Or was it the fact that she was perpetually chilly?

* * *

Andy waltzed into the apartment. Vanessa was in a robe she stole from a luxury spa and her hair was wrapped in a towel. He was on a high, now was the time to finally set things straight. He knew he had to be gentle to Vanessa. He had a feeling she wouldn't take this easily. Vanessa stood up once Andy entered the room. 

"Andy! Where've you been?" she asked.

"Vanessa, I have an important decision I need you to hear and understand," Andy asserted. Vanessa, for once in her life, shut up and sat down with Andy. Andy took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"Did you finally decide on chicken or salmon?" asked Vanessa. Andy shook his head.

"This goes beyond the wedding. Vanessa, I can't be with you anymore," he said. Vanessa's ear were deaf to his words.

"Because my aunt's vegan, so we need a pasta choice too," said Vanessa. She began her rambling again. Andy growled. Vanessa shut up again.

"Vanessa. It's me, not you. I really can't do this marriage justice. You're pretty and all, but you're not the one for me," Andy said as passively and nicely as possible. Vanessa began to get red in the face.

"No," was her reply. Andy cringed.

"What?" asked Andy.

"No, you're not dumping me!" Vanessa's voice began getting louder. The statement sounded more like a demand.

"Vanessa, I've come to realize I didn't love you. I know it's rough, but I'll move out and find my own place, and you can have the apartment—"

"—NO! Why do you suddenly hate me?" shrieked Vanessa, getting increasingly pissed off.

"I DON'T hate you. But we're not made for each other, I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it," Andy said, his eyes drifting from Vanessa's deadly stare.

"But Andy! My three big brothers are flying in tonight! What will I tell them? Andy, we are NOT through!" Vanessa asserted.

"Yes, we are. I'm sorry," Andy finalized. Vanessa looked ready to kill. She suddenly realized something.

"It's that little goth? Isn't it? Alex?" Vanessa suggested.

"Her name is Allison and she's NOT a goth, Vanessa," said Andy. Vanessa hollered.

"You LOVE that little whore?! That's not you!" said Vanessa. Andy shook his head as he got angry.

"No, Vanessa! Loving you, THAT'S not me! I realize now that you're nothing but a shell! You have no insides!" said Andy. "Allison is so wise and compassionate!"

"But she's a poor little slut living in a box under an overpass!" hissed Vanessa.

"You know what, Vanessa. You have to learn how to get over yourself. Life isn't about looks and money. That's why I was so miserable. That was the way I was thinking until I ran into her. I know now. Maybe if you were more open, you could find your soul mate one day too! Because everyone grows old. When you get older and run out of money for Botox and liposuction, you'll have nothing! The sooner you figure that out, the more time you'll have to save yourself! But I want no part of it anymore!" Andy said right in Vanessa's face.

"You're REALLY going to regret this decision, Andrew!" Vanessa hissed. "Stay with me! You're gonna end up with AIDS if you move in with that girl!" she warned.

"Well frankly, Vanessa, I don't give a damn!" said Andy. "I'd much rather die of AIDS in her arms then die of old age in yours!" Vanessa's ears spewed steam (metaphorically, of course). "Oh yeah, and I'm selling the therapy business and using the profits to go back to school!"

Vanessa gasped. "What for?"

"Journalism! I'm going to be a sport anchor!" he decided proudly. Vanessa screamed.

"No Andy! You'll lose all you worked for!"

"No, it's all YOU worked for. I've been unhappy all this time, and if you REALLY loved me, you'd have seen that ten years ago!" Andy gathered his coat and went towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Vanessa.

"To ask Allison Reynolds to marry me, of course!"

Vanessa's eyes bulged out of her skull. "You're crazy!"

"If you mean crazy in love, then I'm flat out insane!" Andy slammed the door behind him, leaving Vanessa, pissed of beyond all belief standing in the living room. All alone. After a minute of soaking in this devastating news, Vanessa calmly walked over to the phone and picked it up, dialing a number.

"Hello, bro? Hey Nate! Are you, Ed, and Jake coming in still? Good! Listen, I have a little task for you…"


	23. Allison and the Bohemian Way

_**Chapter Summary: **Andy and Allison make up…or DO they?

* * *

_

It was close to eight o'clock that night, and Allison still hadn't re-emerged. Aaron had returned to the apartment extremely optimistic, but strangely enough he decided to keep it all to himself. Helene tried everything. Making vegetarian lasagna (a rare treat and a favorite of Allison) and trying to let the smell seep into the room, playing a song on her guitar, and pretending to have a heart attack all didn't work. Allison remained dormant. Truthfully, inside, Allison had forced herself into a trance of sorts. She was alert, but at the same time unconscious. She refused to come out of the bedroom for any reasons. She just wasn't ready yet. She just remained asleep, wrapped up in the mass of sheets, afghans, and comforters.

Aaron kept waiting for Andy's impending arrival. It seemed to be taking a damn long time. Did he wuss out? Hopefully not. But seeing as Andy batted a thousand in the wuss-ass category, Aaron wouldn't be surprised. THEN what would he do? Having Allison in this vulnerable state broke his heart. Even Helene wasn't her usual sadistic self. She just sat there on the sofa, trying to think of ways to have Allison unlock the door.

"Maybe we just need to let her sleep. She might let you come in and talk in the morning. You guys came in at noon, and all day she's been crying it out. Let her cry tonight. We'll figure out something in the morning," said Helene finally.

"Allison's a pure-blooded bohemian artist, you know," said Aaron. Helene rose and eyebrow.

"I thought we all were," Helene said.

"A true sensitive artist's feeling are extremely delicate. They work hard so that others can be happy, and yet when troubles happen, they naturally absorb the shock. We get no respect because we're down and out, but what no one realizes is that all we need is love. It's the Bohemian Way, Helene, chapter 17 in my book, and Allison defines it. She needs us right now," said Aaron.

"I really want Andy to either come around or die," said Helene. "he had no right to—"

Before Helene could finish, Andy knocked on the door. Aaron smiled and went to answer it. Andy was sweaty. He'd run straight from his apartment. He'd willingly run over 10 miles for her. Aaron nodded and walked Andy in. Helene went red as he nodded at her.

"What do YOU want?" she growled at him.

"I need to speak to Allison," he said.

"Damn straight!" Helene said. Aaron restrained her as he pointed to the door.

"It's locked," he informed. Andy groaned and pounded in the door.

"It's Andy!" he yelled. A pause. Nothing. "Allison! We need to talk!" No reply. Andy groaned. "I WAS WRONG!" Andy yelled. The doorknob jiggled as Allison unlocked the door. Andy knew those were the keywords. Allison's eyes were bloodshot. Her teeth were gritted as she let Andy into the room. Before closing the door, she shot Aaron a murderous look.

Andy looked around the room uncomfortably. Allison motioned to the bed, a pouted look on her face. Andy fell onto the bed. He wanted to get straight down to business.

"Allison. I broke up with Vanessa," he said. Allison stared at him, looking unfazed. Andy sighed. "I realized that all along, you've been all I've thought about."

Allison continued staring, but in her head she wanted to scream bloody murder. Andy was so full of shit. Allison knew it all along. Why now, after she suffered for a whole day, did he decide to break up with Vanessa?

As Andy rambled on (Allison zoned out), Allison realized Andy wanted her back! She had her happy ending after all! How could she refuse him?

Then again, the suffering, the playing, being led along then bashed in the head. Allison cringed. Who was to say they wouldn't break up in the future? What if it was a habit with Andy by now to immediately be in it for the money? Loyalty was the biggest question. Allison knew exactly what she had to say.

Andy came to his point. "Allison I know the truth now, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" he asked (more like blurted). _Will you marry me?_

Damn.

Andy had just proposed to her. This made the decision 100 times tougher than it had to be. Allison's stomach churned. Engagement seemed to be an obsession with Andy. Allison, who hadn't said a word in her defense, had to speak. Now.

"No," she said. Andy blinked.

"Allison? I asked you to marry me," assured Andy. "I love you!"

"I know you did," said Allison. "My answer is no: I will not marry you. I'm not even sure I love you anymore."

Aaron and Helene, who'd been listening through the door, gasped and went wide eyed.

"Allison, what do you mean?"

"Did I stutter, Andy?" Allison said, staring straight at Andy. Andy looked devastated.

"I don't understand," said Andy. What was Allison getting at? She'd just smashed their happy ending.

"I don't know if I can love someone after they deliberately told me they loved me, had sex with me, then left me in the dust. I can't respect you. How do I know Vanessa didn't dump you and you're using me as a rebound?" Allison asked.

"That's a lie!" said Andy.

"But how do I know? How can you expect to propose to me and everything be fine and dandy! I'm afraid that you'll abandon me again!" Allison reasoned. Andy was struck. How could he possibly reason against THAT? Allison continued. "Ten years ago, you told me you loved me, then you went away and never came back! How do I know you won't do it again if you went away on business and met a woman?" asked Allison.

Andy defended himself. "Because I'm willing to commit to you! I'm hopelessly devoted, head over heels, crazy in love with—"

"—shut up, Andy. I really don't know whether I want to put up with the heartbreak again."

"I don't even know what heartbreak is!" cried out Andy.

"That's because you are a heartbreaker. You never got your heart broken because you were too busy doing it to others! To ME! Andy, I can't believe you don't understand!" said Allison. "My decision stands. I will not marry you. I can't risk having my feelings hurt again!"

Andy shook his head. "I don't believe this. I don't believe you. What happened to Allison, the happy spirit I once knew?"

"You killed her, Andy. You've killed my spirit. Now I am just a body," said Allison. Andy wanted to cry. It was true. He murdered her.

Andy, not wanting to cry in front of her, stood up and slowly made his way out of the apartment. As he started down the street, Andy couldn't believe it. That is NOT what he'd expected her to say.

But why did he still love her?

And why did Allison want to immediatley take back those words she'd just spit out?


	24. The Dark Alley

_**Chapter Summary: **Vanessa leaves her mark on Andy…and NOT in a nice way…

* * *

_

The streets were shapeless and blurry as Andy wandered aimlessly for a few hours. Of course, it was never safe walking the streets after dark, but Andy had no will to go home. After all…where did he have to go? Vanessa would more than likely kick him out if he came knocking on her door again. He couldn't go back to Allison. She had been brutally right. She deserved better than him. Andy really wasn't the better person. He was just the wealthier person.

Where did Andy have to go now? Allison had rejected him (as she should have), Vanessa had probably locked the apartment by now, he left his keys in the apartment so he couldn't go to the office. He was homeless. He never thought for one second in his life that he would end up being homeless, friendless, and penniless. Andy just kept following the sidewalk. The streets had a lesser than average amount of people walking around. Andy kept walking and looking at his feet. He usually wasn't a man to feel sorry for himself. But then again, Allison wasn't one to mope around and wait for Andy to set her free, and then reject his proposal. Ever since that fateful day on the street corner where they met again, things had turned upside down. Everything was messed up. And a total life swap had only occurred once before in his life.

It was they day he met The Breakfast Club.

Sighing, Andy wondered if he could access his bank account from am ATM and get a hotel room for awhile. Andy only thought of this, he had no real intention on renting a room for himself. He figured he could beg Vanessa to let him sleep on the sofa.

Suddenly, a pair of black boots met up with his white sneakers. Andy looked up. A tall man with a muscular build, a buzz cut, and brass knuckles on his hands stared down into his eyes. This was him. Shot blonde hair, short for a man, a light blue blazer. This had to be the one Vanessa told him about.

Two other men looking similar in the face but differed in size and shape surrounded Andy from the back and right side. Andy looked around. Their faces looked familiar. It clicked with him quickly.

"You guys are Vanessa Lenoir's brothers?" he asked casually. What the hell did they need with brass knuckles?

"Yeah, you Andy Clark?" asked the tallest one.

"Yeah, I am!" said Andy. The tall one suddenly hurled a fist at Andy's stomach, sending him spiraling to the ground. He lost his breath. "Dude, what the fuck?" he yelled.

"You broke up with our baby sister! She's home wailing and we get a call from JFK. 'The wedding is ruined! All the time and money spent is gone! And it's because of a poor waif!'" said the tallest man. "Who's the waif?" asked the man. Andy stood his ground.

"Vanessa isn't my soul mate. She'll get over it and find someone else!" he said.

"What if she doesn't WANT someone else?" asked the middle brother.

"Then too bad for her!" said Andy. The three brothers closed in on him. Andy had a feeling this wasn't going to end very well. But he still didn't back down.

"Vanessa told us to try and convince you otherwise. But she also told us that if she couldn't have you, no one could!" said the short one. Andy spun around. This was bad.

"I don't love Vanessa anymore, now let me pass!" he demanded. The three men didn't budge. Around the corner at about the same time, Helene appeared, on her way home from a tequila run (Allison's request). She saw the scene and ducked into a shadow and out of sight.

"We'll let you pass if you tell us where your little girlfriend lives!" said the short one.

"Or, maybe if you tell us, we'll just not kill you as slowly!" said the tall one.

"What would you do to her?" asked Andy.

"None of your business!" said the medium one.

"Have you no honor? You wouldn't beat up a woman who had nothing to do with this!" warned Andy.

"SHUT UP!" yelled the tall one, dealing a huge punch to Andy's jaw. Andy was hurled into the wall. The short brother began dealing multiple kicks to Andy's groin and abdomen. The pain was killer. Soon Andy dulled and was numbed to the pain, it was so hard. Andy felt the blood soaking his body as the three men kept beating him. He could very well die being beaten this bad. He had no chance to fight back. The medium brother punched Andy in the back of his head. He blacked out.

Helene gasped from the shadow she'd hid in and immediately went in the nearest building to a phone and dialed the nearest hospital. After giving the operator the information, Helene ran back onto the street and quickly chased off the three men with her handy switchblade, which she'd luckily emptied from her bedside stand yesterday morning.

* * *

Andy blinked his eyes. Everything was in shades of purple. He was numb, like he'd been given anesthesia. He couldn't make out clear forms, but he felt he was lying on pavement, which he was. A man and woman stood over him. The woman's voice was vaguely familiar, but the man was a total stranger.

"The three men are brothers, and their sister lives in apartment 31C at the Hamilton apartment building on 7th Avenue," informed the woman.

The man nodded. "The precinct will look into it. Once he's in the hospital and recovering he can formally charge the four of them with battery."

"All four?" asked the woman.

"Ask the sheriff, but I'm pretty sure the sister who asked her brothers to do this can be charged too."

"Thanks you for responding so quickly, sir."

"He's got three broken ribs, and a small bit of internal bleeding. A quick operation around the collarbone should correct that. He'll live, but he got it pretty bad. It will take awhile for him to recover." Informed the man, who by now sounded like a paramedic.

"Can people visit him once he's in a room?" asked the woman.

"The hospital has a very strict policy. Only family can see him," said the man.

"Oh but I don't know if he has any—" the woman paused. Andy could have sworn he saw a smile creep onto her face. "—oh I forgot. He has a fiancée living in SoHo, in the same building as me as a matter of fact…"

"That's acceptable. Take care in letting her know," said the man.

Andy, still too confused to understand anything going on around him, shut his eyes and fell unconscious again.

Meanwhile, Helene thanked the paramedic and took off for home. She had to tell Allison that she was engaged.


	25. The Circle

_**Chapter Summary: **Aaron and Allison try to heal…and Helene comes home with news about Allison's 'engagement'.

* * *

_

Allison, after telling Andy off forever, had thought she'd feel better, but she only felt worse. She'd emerged from the bedroom and sent Helene out for tequila so she could drink herself unconscious. She and Aaron now were on the couch. It was coming on ten at night. Aaron had Allison in his arms as he comforted her. She didn't cry, but moaned and longed for the alcohol. Aaron tried to talk her out of drinking. When they first met, Allison had nearly fallen into alcoholism as a result of being ditched by Andy. Aaron and Helene were a wonderful support system, and Allison was able to bounce back. But still, she had a tendency to drown her sorrows in vodka and liquor. Tragically, when there was no Andy, it was her escape. All three of them had a deadly addiction they used when they wanted to mourn alone. Allison turned to alcohol. Helene had her violence and anger management issues, and Aaron secluded himself, refused to eat anything for days, and wrote furiously. When two or more of them were depressed, they'd put on a Bon Jovi tape and turn the volume to the max.

"Allison, I personally am on your side. You did the right thing for you. Although, I think you would have made it," said Aaron.

"Do you?" asked Allison.

"I still do. Andy is a douche bag for what he's done to you, but even now, nothing's set in stone," said Aaron.

"How could he expect me to accept a proposal after what he did to me? It was as if he thought a simple "I'm sorry" could solve all our problems! Our problems will be there forever. Nothing can be said or done to get rid of them!" said Allison.

"That may be true, but Mouse, you can work at them and make them less significant. Nothing's impossible!" said Aaron.

"I need some vodka," said Allison. Aaron groaned.

"Mouse, I don't think you should drink. You have a problem with using alcohol to solve your problems," he said.

"Where else can I go?" Allison sulked deeper into Aaron's lap. Aaron, on the other hand, groaned and cleared his throat.

"A-HEM! Me! Allison, Helene and I have done nothing but try to help you! We are a family here. You help us and we help you!" Aaron suddenly got an idea and smiled from ear to ear. He bent down and whispered in Allison's ear softly, almost mischievously. "Why hit the bottle when we can have a Circle like we used to?"

Allison sat up straight. The Circle! Of course, how had she forgotten that? It was an old ritual the trio developed when depression sank into their apartment. Allison, Helene, and Aaron would turn off all the lights, lie in a circle with their heads in the middle, and they'd hold hands and spill their guts. Then Aaron would write down Helene's complaints, Helene would write Allison's, and Allison would write Aaron's, and then they'd take the papers out on the deck and burn them until not even the ashes were left. They'd stopped when Mrs. Ramirez downstairs began complaining to local policemen and they were told to stop burning things. It never failed to make all three of them feel better.

"Mrs. Ramirez died a few months ago, her daughter downstairs doesn't know anything about it…" said Allison.

"Let's do it!" said Aaron, he and Allison getting up. Aaron lit a small torch of incense, Allison turned off the lights, closed the curtains and got paper. Then they laid down with the tops of their heads touching. They extended their arms until their hands met. As they let their emotions go free, Allison felt a sudden weight lift off her body. She felt tranquil. The problem was still there, but this was dulling her agony. Aaron felt better too. He expressed how he felt like Allison was his sister and how he hated seeing his sister hurt. The entire ritual felt soothing. And when they went onto the deck to burn the papers, Allison let out a sigh and felt like nothing had happened. They set the papers on fire and released them into the night air. A gentle breeze carried the flaming ball of paper off into the night, until it fell onto the road and smothered out. Allison smiled. She realized that she should try and patch things up with Andy. The fact was, she still was deeply in love with him. She needed to confront him and they needed to remain in touch. The worst case scenario was that they would remain only friends. But even that case didn't seem as bad as regressing back to alcoholism. Allison told this to Aaron, who nodded and squeezed her hand.

Suddenly, Helene came into the view on the ground below the porch. Helene was panting, as if she'd been running awhile. Allison and Aaron peered over the edge.

"HELENE?" hollered Aaron.

"ALLISON!" replied Helene. Allison turned to Aaron. Helene continued. "ANDY NEEDS YOU! HE'S BEEN BEATEN!"

Allison gasped and slipped on her clogs, running out of the apartment and meeting Helene on the stairs. Aaron was right behind her.

"Ally! Oh god. Vanessa's brothers were pissed, and they went to find Andy to kill him, and they did!" Allison could feel the blood draining from her face.

"Holy shit! Is he dead?" Allison gulped. No, not now!

"He's alive, but he's literally mutilated! He's got lots of broken bones, cuts, bruises, and internal bleeding. He's in the ER having an operation right now, but no one can visit him, except—"

"—except WHO?" begged Allison.

"Family members," said Helene. Allison cried. She wasn't related! Now what was she going to do? She had to see him!

"So I can't see him?" asked Allison. Aaron took her shoulders and began rubbing them. Allison felt like crawling into a corner and dying. Andy needed her, and she couldn't be there. Wait…did she say Vanessa's brothers kicked his ass? Oh, if she could get her hands on that slut for just one minute, Allison would rip out her 3,000 dollar implants and beat her over the head with them! And she'd take even more pleasure in making Vanessa eat chunks of hand-torn hair from her own head! This was a disaster! She couldn't even be at his bedside to comfort him!

"Oh, you can see him!" said Helene. Allison's thoughts were interrupted by the phrase. Aaron and Allison looked at each other. Helene gave Aaron a wink.

"How?" Allison perked up for a second. What the fuck had Helene done?

"I kinda bullshitted the paramedics into thinking Andy was engaged to a Miss Allison Reynolds…" Helene smirked. Allison's jaw dropped.

"You little shit!" Allison joked. "Of all the goddamn stunts you pulled, this one takes the cake! What would I do without you? Where is he?" she asked.

"He's at Manhattan General on 13th Avenue," informed Helene. Allison nodded.

"Thank you…both of you!" said Allison, taking off down the staircase. Suddenly, she stopped midstep. Aaron looked at Helene. Allison reversed directions and dashed back upstairs. Aaron and Helene shrugged at each other.

Allison stumbled back into the apartment and grabbed her purse off the sofa. The she dashed to the coffee table with the pictures on it. She sifted around for the one of her and Andy on his father's car hood. She threw it in her purse, then literally fell into the bedroom and into the closet, pushing aside a few old articles of clothes and old bags. On the floor was a small brown business envelope with a red heart marked on the front. Allison sntached up the envelope and stuck it in her purse as well. Then she again left the loft and ran down the stairs (this time, not even noticing Aaron or Helene) and headed for the nearest bus stop.

Aaron smiled at Helene. "How much do you wanna bet she took the envelope?"

"A MILLION dollars!" replied Helene. Aaron and Helene smiled and headed back upstairs.


	26. Sealed With A Kiss

_**Chapter Summary: **Allison and Andy confront each other once and for all in the hospital. (Damn, I'm almost done! Yes, look out for an epilogue chapter!)

* * *

_

The doctor in charge of Andy's surgery had told his "fiancée" Allison to wait in the waiting room until Andy awoke. The surgery was finished and Andy would pull through, but the agony from the beating was still so severe that he was given pain killers to knock him out for the night. Allison, knowing he'd be alright, willingly chose to spend the night in the waiting room. Only two other people were in the small area. They were a little girl and what appeared to be her father. Allison smiled at the girl. The girl waved back. She and her dad looked to be of Asian descent. The father looked up at Allison.

"We're waiting for my sister. She's giving birth," informed the man (who turned out to be an uncle, not a father).

"I'm gonna have a baby brother!" announced the little girl. Allison smiled and looked up at the clock. It was closing in on midnight. Allison managed to arrange two chairs so that she could curl up and make a semi-comfortable bed for her. She semi-consciously watched the waiting room for another hour. Within the hour, the uncle and girl had gone in to see their new family member and left, and the secretary changed shifts. Allison was alone. She rolled over on the "bed" and sifted through her big purse (which was more like a tote bag). Allison took out the photo taken ten years ago. Times had been so happy. Even if three of them were gone, Allison knew now what had to become of her relationship with Andy: She had to resurrect some of the happiness she'd felt while in The Breakfast Club. She and Andy had the power to do it too. They were invincible.

Then Allison reached for the envelope. The envelope she swore never to open. She smiled and kissed a corner of the brown paper, sealed tight. Allison never thought the day would come, but it was vastly approaching. Tomorrow morning, she would do the impossible. Tomorrow morning she would open the envelope. The envelope which had been the only thing other than the photograph that she'd brought from her old life in Shermer to her new life in New York City.

* * *

"Andrew Clark?" crooned an angelic voice. 

Andy felt like his head was ready to spontaneously combust. But the parts of his body from his hips down seemed painless, almost detached. His chest felt shallow, but also somewhat painless. He blinked his eyes open. Looking down at his right hand, he found an IV line pierced the back of his hand. The room was pure white. He was in a hospital gown and in a stiff hospital bed under a single layer of starched hospital sheets. His stomach was agonizingly empty. He wanted food. He NEEDED food. What he wouldn't do for a cheeseburger and fries!

"Andrew Clark?" the voice repeated. Andy's sight sharpened as he saw the source of the voice: a nurse with a round pleasant face and a few wrinkles under her eyes. "Andrew Clark?"

"I'm awake—" Andrew replied. Why was his throat sore?

"You're voice is still a little raspy. That's from the tube they put down you're throat during surgery last night, dear," said the nurse. Andy nodded. It all came back to him. The woman's voice and the paramedic's voice, the trio of brothers Vanessa sent to hurt him. Andy knew he had to be in the hospital.

"Am I okay?" Andy asked.

"After about three days we'll X-ray you again, and after that hopefully you'll be free to go home, alright?" asked the nurse. Andy nodded. "By the way, Mr. Clark, if you're feeling well, your fiancée is here to visit!"

Andy's heart leapt in fear. Oh no, why would Vanessa come here? She wasn't even still his fiancée! Andy did not want to see her now. But the nurse had already shown her in. But his eyes had still not fully come to. He felt a warm, comforting hand slip over her, and instantly he knew it wasn't Vanessa. His eyes finally cleared to reveal Allison sitting by his bedside, her hand over his.

"Allison?" asked Andy. Allison smiled and nodded silently. "What's this about you being my fiancée?" he asked.

"They wouldn't let me see you otherwise!" she informed. "I lied to them to get in to make sure you were okay," she said.

Andy blushed. "I thought you hated me for putting you through so much!"

Allison shook her head. "Andy, while you did hurt me in a thousand ways, all I want to do is put all this behind us. We've been a team for ten years," she said. Andy nodded.

"I'm so stupid. I should have known you wouldn't accept my proposal," said Andy.

"Don't feel so dumb. We can't get married. Not now. We still have so much to work through before any commitment can be made. But I think we can do it, Andy. I really do!"

Andy grinned as wide as he could without wincing. "Do you think there could be a possibility that one day we could, you know…"

"I definitely think if we're willing to help each other get through the rough things we need to solve then yeah, of course there's a possibility." Allison nodded, looking at Andy's two black eyes. No matter how imany njuries he got, it still didn't take away from the piercing look they gave Allison.

"But nothing's set in stone?" Andy asked. Allison shook her head.

"Nope," she replied. Andy nodded, understandingly. They stayed silent for a moment. Andy looked at Allison, who suddenly tore her hand away from Andy's to get something out of her purse. First she set a photograph…THE photograph, of the two of them as teenagers on the hood of the car. Andy remembered the day he first saw that picture. It was the day he took Allison back to his place.

"I kept it all these years," Allison informed (of course she was unaware Andy had seen it while she was dressing). "I know it sounds obsessive, but something inside me told me never to throw it out," she said. Andy began laughing. "What's so damn funny?" Allison demanded to know.

"I kept mine too!" he said between laughs. Allison smiled and beamed.

"Really?" she asked. Andy nodded.

"It's been in a drawer of my desk at my office!" Andy said. Allison joined in his laughing.

After the laughing subsided, Allison remarked, "Even I can't believe I dressed like that!"

"I looked like such a dope-head back then! And I was. I had no idea how to think for myself. I mean, up until then I had my father and my coach to think for me, then in college Vanessa took over the thinking for me," said Andy.

"Are you pressing charges against her and her brothers?" asked Allison. Andy shook his head.

"Nawh. Well, against her three asshole brothers yeah I will charge battery and assault. But Vanessa…well, she's got her own problems. She may seem entirely evil, but she was really just heartbroken over me. You know what THAT'S like, Allison," Andy said. Allison nodded.

"Heartbreak makes you literally go insane," said Allison, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah. So I'll leave her be. I'll punish her my own special way," said Andy.

"How's that?"

"I'm gonna sell my office and move into the closest apartment I can get to yours!" declared Andy. "Selling the office will royally piss her off, considering she worked so hard to get it for me! All her work in vain, all the money she'll lose, she'll regret ever messing with either of us!" Allison smiled. Andy had a way of thinking sometimes.

"But what will you do? You need a job," said Allison. Andy nodded.

"I'll go back to school. Become a sports anchor like I always wanted to be!" said Andy. Allison smiled and gently embraced her Andy. Suddenly she remembered the envelope. Allison dug it out of her purse.

"What's that?" asked Andy. Allison smiled and broke the seal of the envelope, pouring its contents onto Andy's lap. A large circular patch and a note on loose leaf paper tumbled onto the bed. Andy took the patch first. It was the "State Champion" patch Allison had ripped from his jacket that day in detention 10 years ago! Andy shook his head and snickered. Allison took the paper.

"This was a note I wrote to you when you didn't come home for Christmas '84. At that point I'd gotten pretty sad but still clung to hope that you'd come home. I wrote you a letter and intended to send it to you along with the patch, but I never got the chance to." Andy took the piece of paper from Allison and unfolded it. The words were written in Allison's sprawled handwriting, and elegantly lined holly-borders gave the paper a festive touch. Andy read:

_Dear Andy,_

_I'm really sorry you never made it home for Xmas this year. I understand if you're too busy to call too. I know you wouldn't forget me. I trust you and love you very much. I am still so proud of what you're accomplishing at Ohio State! I'm sending the patch along too. I can't afford any presents, but I really wanted you to have something. So I guess this was it. Andy, no matter what we go through, not matter what happens to us, we have a bond that will remain unbroken until we both die. Even if we both get married to other people and end up a poor bum living on a street corner, or end up some big-shot with money to throw around like nothing, we will always have that bond that nothing can come between us. We are one, Andy. I know that sounds deep and almost disturbing, but it's true. True relationships, romantic or not, last forever. Merry Christmas, my Andy!_

_Love always and forever,_

_Allison Portia Reynolds_

Andy was in tears by the time he finished the letter. Allison nodded again. "I didn't send it off because it was around that time that Bender left Claire for California and she needed me. Eventually, when I gave up on you and decided to move east, I took nothing but my bag, the clothes on my back, the picture, and this envelope. I vowed I'd never open it unless I found you again. And I did." Allison explained.

"Exactly how did you make it east?" asked Andy. Allison smirked.

"I hitchhiked," she said weakly. Andy gasped.

"You didn't!" he exclaimed.

"I did!" retorted Allison. Andy smiled at Allison. She was right. There was an eternal bond between them that would last forever, came what may. Andy and Allison took hands again, and Allison leaned down and kissed Andy again on the lips. Andy kissed back.

He made a silent vow to himself as they kissed. He vowed he'd never lose what he loved most ever again. Allison was yin and he was yang. The two of them existing together brought balance and harmony. He wouldn't let himself be corrupted and driven away from the most important thing in his life anymore.

Andy sealed that vow with a kiss.


	27. Epilogue: 2004

_**Chapter Summary: **Another decade goes by…where are they now?

* * *

_

All Andy could do was look out the window at the City passing away slowly behind the car as it drove deeper into Pennsylvania. It was a cold morning in early April 2004. It was exactly 3 years ago today that it happened. The car was quiet for several different reasons. Andy turned behind him to look at his two children sleeping in the back. Little Aaron with a small picture book in his lap, leaning his head against the seat-belt strap, and Ophelia in her car seat, a small plush elephant hanging from her tiny hand. It had been a bit of a drive, but seeming as today was the third anniversary, he and his wife were compelled to pay their respects. Especially his wife, who was currently at the wheel. Andy looked over at Allison, who was wearing all black for the first time in ages. Her eyes were stone cold, concentrating on the road. She controlled the wheel with one hand, her other hand rested on her knee. Andy sighed and slipped his hand over hers, then curled his fingers in between her fingers. Allison moaned to let Andy know she was still alert. Andy's heart ached for her. This was always a difficult date for Allison to endure.

"We'll be there in a few minutes," she informed. Little Aaron stirred. Ophelia remained asleep.

"Will Helene be there, you think?" asked Andy.

"I really wouldn't know, dear," replied Allison.

Allison kept looking for the exit. The area had gone from City to suburbia to country. It was quite a change of scenery to go from millennial Manhattan to rural Pennsylvania. Andy leaned back in his seat and looked again at his wife. Allison had gained a lot of body back that she'd lost before. She wasn't fat, but she was, well, motherly. She had two instances of childbearing to thank for that. Allison loosened her hand from Andy's and began turning the wheel. The station wagon turned off the main country road and onto a muddy side road. The car made its way up a hill and turned into a small public cemetery, fenced in by a black wrought-iron gate. There was no church, but along with 100 or so tombstones of various shapes and sizes, there were 10 or so crypts for families.

Allison parked the car outside the gate. She got out and helped her son out of the car. Meanwhile, Andy unbuckled his daughter from her car seat and carried her in his arms. Allison held her son's hand; in her other hand was a small bouquet of lilies. Andy opened the gate and the family walked inside. Allison and Little Aaron were slightly ahead. Allison knew exactly where her destination was. She turned left at the Miller crypt and passed the huge tombstone with the Virgin Mary on top, and there it was. Andy followed right behind. They stared at the small yet beautifully carved stone, settled in the grass. Allison then leaned down in front of it and laid the lilies directly under the inscription:

_**Aaron Roger Baranowski**_

_**Born: January 31, 1968**_

_**Died: April 3, 2001**_

_**Loving Friend, Caring Man**_

_**He Shall Be Missed Greatly**_

Allison wept a little. Andy bent down by her side (Ophelia still in arm) and muttered a prayer to himself for Aaron. Three years ago to the day Aaron died, and Allison could remember exactly how the day went. Andy stayed at home with Little Aaron (Allison was slightly pregnant with Ophelia at that point) at home. Allison and Helene were at Aaron's bedside in the hospital. He was barely conscious, dying of meningitis as a result of AIDS. Allison held him as he suffered, and Helene sat on the edge of the bed. The three bohemians were in the same room for the last time that day. Aaron died around 4 that afternoon. Allison didn't go home that night. Instead, she and Helene, after doing a bit of paperwork and crying for awhile in the park, went back to SoHo. By that time, the old building in which they resided had been condemned to destruction, and all was abandoned. Allison and Helene got past the boarded windows and locked doors and somehow made it back into their old loft apartment. They brought some incense and cried in each other's arms all night long, lying in the vacant apartments, mourning their lost roommate, friend, and mediator. They remarked on how times had changed. What was once the center of artistic life in New York City was now a slum. Allison had observed that the artists and beatniks had shifted to the East Village. Allison and Helene hadn't bothered to move.

Allison had moved out of the loft when she married Andy in June 1996. A few months later, Helene and Aaron were given warning that the building was condemned and they had to move out. Andy bought them their own apartment in his own building (he ended up moving with Allison back into the Hamilton). Helene eventually moved out and headed out to Connecticut on her own to start her job at a record company. Aaron stayed there until he got sick and had to be moved to a hospital.

Andy put his free arm around Allison, who's tears poured silently out of her eye. She suddenly heard footsteps from behind her.

"Mommy!" yelped Little Aaron. Allison turned around. She smiled vaguely at the lady behind her, a bouquet of her own in her hand. Her stomach was bulging out of proportion to the rest of her body. Allison and Andy stood up.

"Helene? Look at you!" Allison remarked.

"You're pregnant!" Andy finished.

"I had no idea you met someone!" said Allison. Helene shook her head.

"I didn't," she said. "Artificial insemination." The trace of French left in Helene's accent was gone. Her voice was pure-blooded American. "I was getting kind of lonely."

Andy and Allison nodded. Helene sighed and looked at the tombstone. "It's a girl, due in three months," she said. "I wish it were a boy. I would've named him Aaron." She said. Allison looked at her own son, named Aaron while her own Aaron was still alive. She smiled at him, and he smiled up at her.

"Instead, I'm naming her Alexandra. Ally for short," said Helene. Allison blushed. The atmosphere went silent again as Helene (carefully) sank to her knees at the tombstone and put her bouquet down. A quiet, silent minute went by as Andy, Allison, and Helene all paid their respects. Andy broke the silence after a few long minutes.

"So, Helene, how goes life in Connecticut?" he asked.

Helene rolled her eyes. "Funny you should mention that. I ran into Vanessa yesterday!"

"Oh?" asked Allison interested. Indeed, what did become of her old nemesis?

"She's not a model anymore. Vanessa lost her job because her agency said she looked too much like an anorexic. Curvy is apparently the 'in' now, so Vanessa has a minimum-wage job in a strip joint!"

"Imagine that!" said Andy, putting Ophelia on the ground and wrapping his arms around Allison.

"So Allison, Andy, plan on having any more pups?" asked Helene. Andy shook his head.

"Two is MORE than enough!"

"Yeah. We've pretty much reached or baby quota for this lifetime!" added Allison. Helene nodded, understandingly. She looked at the tombstone again.

"I'm going to make Aaron Alexandra's legal godfather posthumously once she's born," said Helene.

Allison grinned. "I think he'd like that," she said. Andy looked at Ophelia, who was embracing the tombstone tightly. He snickered and went to pick her up.

"Come on, Mouse!" he said to his daughter. "You're going to have a nap when we get home," he said.

"No nap!" yelled Ophelia. "I wanna rock!" she said, pointing to Aaron's tombstone. Everyone laughed.

"Even six feet under he's got a thing for kids!" said Helene. Everyone laughed. Ophelia buried her head in her daddy's neck. Another minute of silence ensued. "I think he'd be happy to see where we are now," Helene remarked. Andy nodded. Allison sighed.

"I'm living every day for him," said Allison.

"We all are, I think," said Andy. Helene nodded in agreement.

"Helene, do you want to come over for supper?" asked Allison. Helene stayed silent a moment, then nodded.

"Dinner would be great!" said Helene, rubbing her enlarged gut. The trio smiled at each other, looked at the stone one more time, and left the burial grounds together towards their finally satisfying lives.

* * *

_**Author's Thanks: Whew! Looooong story for me to actually finish! I'd like to thank Kristen, Mariii, HobieGirl, Twarted**_ _**Moony, Savvy-Magenta,"Roni Girl", freakchick42, Immortal Phantom, and "ToastMASTER42" for their kind reviews and nice feedback/suggestions. I also wanna thank my boyfriend Kyle, who helped me hold on to my sanity when my roommate almost stole it, and for giving me the Las Vegas subplot. Seriously, without the idea, I would have done a few more fight/make-up cycles, a final Vanessa/Andy/Allison showdown, and it would be over (monotonous, i know). So yeah, Vegas gave it a nice twist. Thanks to y'all, see you next fic!**_


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